Our team at Petrillo Stone is always excited to work with local businesses, colleges, churches, and organizations. This last month, we had the incredible opportunity to hand-carve a tracery window for the Fort Washington Collegiate Church in Harlem. Part of the Collegiate Churches of New York, this building exemplified historic architecture from the gothic period. Founded in 1907,  it is part of the oldest continuous Protestant congregations in North America. With the incredible history of the building, it was only fitting to hand-carve a tracery window out of Indiana Limestone.

Hand-Carved Beauty

As stonemasons, we understand the intricacy of every detail when it comes to stone architecture. For us, every project allows us to beautifully craft and design each stone with finesse. As we work with our clients, we always consider the purpose, the history, and the future of each and every building we work on. For Collegiate Churches, the details were derived from the late Gothic period of architecture.

Tracery Windows

You can find tracery windows in nearly every traditional, historical church in North America. Even churches as modern as the Fort Washington Collegiate Church (as recent as 1907) include these beautiful windows in the design and structure of their building.

Tracery windows are divided into individual glass sections supported by stone bars or molding. This glass can then be stained, frosted, or left clear. In most churches, this style of architecture provides an unmatched serenity for patrons of the faith.

Indiana Limestone

A tracery window can be supported by the use of different types of stonework or ribs of molding, but a popular option for many buildings – including colleges and churches – is Indiana Limestone. Known for its durability and strength, Indiana Limestone adds a hint of elegance when combined with historical architecture.

Hand-carved masonry takes time because of the intricacy of the detail. After a few weeks in our facility in Mount Vernon, New York, the tracery window was ready to be installed.

Here are a couple pictures of the tracery windows at Fort Washington Collegiate Church.