Barge-board

Chambers's Encyclopaedia, Volume 1: A to Beaufort, p. 737
A detailed black and white illustration of a Gothic barge-board. It shows a triangular gable end with intricate carvings, including pointed arches and decorative tracery. The structure is supported by two vertical columns at the base.
Barge-board.

Barge-board, a board extending along the edge of the gable of a house to cover the rafters and keep out the rain. These barge-boards were often very richly ornamented, particularly in the 14th and 15th centuries.

Source scan(s): p. 0764