A Coade stone keystone (reverse)
Back to Time PeriodThe keystone comes from an arch in one of the now-demolished terraces of Southernhay. Coade stone was not really a stone but a tough ceramic compound fired in a kiln. It was patented by Mrs Coade, who set up a factory producing it at Lambeth in London. It provided a cheaper alternative to costly stone-carving in architectural decoration. The factory's products are quite numerous in the Exeter area.
Acknowledgments: RAM Museum