Masonry or construction featuring a checkered or cross-pattern arrangement of stones or bricks, creating a decorative and structurally distinctive pattern.
From check (pattern resembling a checkerboard) + work (constructed object). Used in medieval and Renaissance architecture.
Checkwork appears throughout Norman churches and medieval castles across England—it's both structurally clever (alternating stone types distribute weight) and visually striking, making it one of the few building techniques that's genuinely beautiful and practical.
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