A hard, chalky clay used for building material, particularly found in East Anglia; also called 'clunch stone' or 'clunch chalk.'
From Middle English or Old English origins, possibly related to a word meaning 'to squeeze' or 'to compress,' referring to the compact nature of the material. The term is primarily used in East Anglian regional vocabulary and appears in building records from medieval times onward.
Clunch is a beautiful example of how regional building materials shaped architecture—East Anglian churches and cottages built with clunch have lasted 500+ years and are instantly recognizable to local people. The word would be completely unknown outside that region, yet it represents crucial cultural and architectural history.
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