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Free-Stone

1911 Encyclopedia Britannica

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FREE-STONE (a translation of the 0. Fr. franche Pere or Pierre, i.e. stone of good quality; the modern French equivalent is Pierre de taille, and Ital. pietra molle ), stone used in architecture for mouldings, tracery and other work required to be worked with the chisel. The oolitic stones are generally so called, although in some countries soft sandstones are used; in some churches an indurated chalk called "clunch" is employed for internal lining and for carving.