Crowstep

A crow-stepped gable, stepped gable, or corbie step is a stairstep type of design at the top of the triangular gable-end of a building. The top of the parapet wall projects above the roofline and the top of the brick or stone wall is stacked in a step pattern above the roof as a decoration and as a convenient way to finish the brick courses.

The oldest examples can be seen in Ghent (Flanders, Belgium) and date from the 12th century : the house called Spijker on Graslei, and some other romanesque buildings in this city. From there, they were spread in the whole of Northern Europe as from the 13th century, in particular in cities of the Hanseatic League (with Brick Gothic style), then in Central Europe at the next century. These gables is numerous in Belgium (Flanders), Netherlands, all Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Poland, Baltic States, Switzerland and some parts of France (French Flanders and Alsace). They are also present but much rarer in British Isles. Crow-stepped gables are especially common on traditional Flemich and Dutch houses and Danish medieval churches.

Crow-stepped gables were also used in Scotland as early as the 16th century. Examples of Scottish crow-stepped gable can be seen at Muchalls Castle, Monboddo House, and the Stonehaven Tolbooth, all late 16th- and early 17th-century buildings.

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