HOODMOLD

also called dripstone, or label molding projecting from the face of the wall, immediately above an arch or opening whose curvature or outline it follows. The hoodmold, which originated during the Romanesque period to protect carved moldings and to direct rainwater away from the opening, was later developed into an important decorative feature. It appears almost universally over exterior arches in the Gothic architecture of France, Germany, and Spain; and in England it was commonly used in interior work, especially for nave arcades. In profile the hoodmold generally has a downward sloping upper surface and a hollow below to act as a drip; at its lower end, near the spring of the arch, it either rests upon the capital of a column or terminates on the wall in the form of a carved, ornamented boss (decorative projection designed to cover the intersection of ribs in a vault). When used in a place other than an arch or opening, it is known as a drip mold.