Dunstone

/ˈdʌnstoʊn/ noun

Definition

A type of stone or rock of dull brownish color, or a stone from Dunstable; a building material.

Etymology

Compound of 'dun' (the color) and 'stone', or possibly referring to stone quarried from Dunstable. Medieval and early modern building terminology often combined color descriptions with materials to specify exactly what was being ordered.

Kelly Says

Medieval builders used color-coded stone names the way modern contractors use product specifications—'dunstone' told you exactly what you'd get, both aesthetically and structurally, which meant less arguing about whether the stone matched the building's needs.

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