Quoin

Quoins (/kɔɪn/ or /kwɔɪn/) are masonry blocks at the corner of a wall.^[1] Some are structural, providing strength for a wall made with inferior stone or rubble,^[2] while others merely add aesthetic detail to a corner.^[3] According to one 19th-century encyclopedia, these imply strength, permanence, and expense, all reinforcing the onlooker's sense of a structure's presence.^[4]

Stone quoins are used on stone or brick buildings. Brick quoins may appear on brick buildings, extending from the facing brickwork in such a way as to give the appearance of generally uniformly cut ashlar blocks of stone larger than the bricks. Where quoins are decorative and non-load-bearing a wider variety of materials is used, including timber, stucco, or other cement render.