Talk:Cobblestone

Etymology of cobblestons
I'm a bit curious about the claimed etymology. If there's a cite for it, fine. However, the German word for this paving is "Kopfstein Pflaster," which is very similar in sound and meaning. It's possible, of course, that both languages evolved a similar word from older origins, but I'm wondering if the two words don't have a common ancestor. Hmoulding (talk) 14:57, 16 July 2008 (UTC)

I don't have a citation for it either, but if it's a folk etymology, it's a very good one.71.242.215.246 (talk) 04:00, 29 August 2009 (UTC)

I would like to point out something regarding the things said about the claimed etymology. The article now says "Most surviving genuinely old 'cobbled' areas are in reality pitched surfaces. A cobbled area is known as a "causey", "cassay" or "cassie" in Scots (probably from causeway).[1]", while in the Dutch article https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kassei it says: "Het woord kassei (en de oudere vorm kalsijde) komt van het Latijnse (via) calceata: met steen bedekt(e weg)." The English version of this article is https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sett_(paving) Causey and cassay sound roughly the same as the Dutch pronounce "kassei". In the Dutch article, it is said that the Dutch word "kassei" originates form the Latin "(via) calceata", meaning "(road) paved with stone". In this article on cobblestones we are discussing right now, lots of effort is put into trying to explain the difference between setts and cobblestons. Then it's rather peculiar that the article also lists other names for cobblestones that are roughly the same as the Dutch word for setts, isn't it? I was just wondering if there hasn't been an error here somewhere. If an error is made, my guess would be that causey, cassay or cassie don't refer to cobbled areas but to setts, and therefore this whole etymology reference is in the wrong article, but this is just a guess, I think native English speakers or experts in this area would know.

In regard to Hmoulding talking about the German word "Kopfstein Pflaster" (=literally headstone pavement), isn't there a relation to the Dutch word "Kinderkopjes" (=litterally children's heads)? "Kinderkopjes" is another word for "kassei", being setts. 84.27.38.14 (talk) 09:08, 28 June 2018 (UTC)

History of cobblestons
Does anyone know more on the history of cobblestone streets? Such as which civilisation first used them, or when they were first introduced into Europe.

And also how 'common' they were, i.e. were they only used in cities at first, with dirt roads being in smaller country towns, or was it something distributed 'relatively' easily?

I am curious as to where all these caobblestones come from. Here in Europe there are gazzililons of uniform size and color little square stones used for paving streets, sidewalks and drives. I am curious about the manufacturing process or source of all these stones.

Cobbles and Setts
I understand that the difference between cobbles and setts is that cobbles form a deliberately rough surface (originally) to allow grip in bad weather for horses hooves. A hill or other slope is likely to be cobbled.

Setts are laid as smooth and level as possible, and would be used on level roads and pavements.

The pictures in the article appear to be of Setts, not Cobbles.

I intend to edit the main article to explain this difference and to start a separate article on Setts, but will await comments for a week or two. -- User:Peter Judge - 08:10, 16 August 2006


 * It certainly seems most people call these "setts" cobblestones, and I must admit this is the first I've heard of the term "setts". this site agrees with the distinction you're making. I just edited this gallery on commons, to try to make this distinction clearer (although I stopped short of removing all the pictures of setts altogether).
 * So by this reckoning, the photo currently at the bottom Image:Cobblestones 01.jpg, is actually showing setts.
 * -- Harry Wood (talk) 23:38, 1 May 2008 (UTC)

Greenfield Potatoes paragraph
The Arroyo Seco link points to a page that suggests that Greenfield Potatoes are stones found naturally in wine-growing soil -- not in cobbles. "The locals have coined the name "Greenfield Potatoes" for the larger potato shaped rocks that strewn the valley floor. In addition to moderating the temperature, the rocks provide excellent drainage." That is, can a cobble stone be a cobble stone if it isn't used in paving? I'm going to remove this paragraph until someone can claim it. --Mdwyer 15:35, 21 May 2006 (UTC)


 * Greenfield Potatoes is a local term for cobblestones in Arroyo Seco, California. They are 3-4 inch cobblestones that resemble potatoes in size and appearance and which absorb heat during the day and radiate their heat after sunset. They also promote excellent drainage.

set in sand rather than mortar
Two years ago, I watched workmen relay cobblestones in front of my mother-in-law's house in Switzerland. They set them in sand rather than binding the stones with mortar. The two pictures shown in the article are for non-mortared cobblestones. Many of the stone streets and walks I've seen in Europe are set in sand rather than mortar. Cobblestone remain quite common in Europe. Thus, my changes. Swlenz 20:52, 5 June 2006 (UTC)

Cleaning a Cobblestone Street
We live on a private drive and it happens to be a cobblestone street. How do you clean the oil and dirt off of the cobblestone? Do we use chemicals or sandblast? Sure could use some advice.

Method: 1. Elbow Grease 2. Use it

high pressure water jet should do fine; its outside, it can live having specks of dirt on it. And symantically speaking, doesn't 'street' infer public use, and not 'private'?

Retreat of the Glaciers from Finger Lakes
"In the Finger Lakes Region of New York State, the retreat of the glaciers during the last ice age left numerous small, rounded cobblestones available for building materials as settlers moved in."

It's probably my OCD, but does not the word "as" (as opposed to, say, "when") seems to suggest that the retreat of the glaciers was timed for the arrival of the settlers? :)

Calsada
Should this be merged with, Calsada? I'm not an expert, I just came across a statue and some images that I felt are beautiful. Proxima Centauri (talk) 08:05, 26 August 2009 (UTC)
 * I'm guessing Calsada uses flat stones rather than cobbles, so they're not really the same thing. Powers T 13:24, 26 August 2009 (UTC)

Picture of setts beneath cracked pavement.
In my fair city there are a number of roads that nicely illustrate the phenomenon described in this article of poorly maintained asphalt revealing setts and cobbles beneath it. Would anyone mind if I uploaded a picture of such a thing, or do I still need a New York Times article explicitly stating that such a picture is "notable"?76.19.26.248 (talk) 02:12, 5 November 2010 (UTC)

I went ahead and uploaded one. Hope it meets with everybody's approval. Wormwoodpoppies (talk) 21:43, 6 January 2011 (UTC)

Lomnice nad Popelkou picture shows setts
It looks like the Lomnice nad Popelkou picture shows setts, not cobblestones. The text even mentions "cubes". If someone agrees with me, please remove it.

French Page exists
I don't know how to edit the left side "other languages" bit - just to mention that this page exists in French if you wanted to add that link

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pavé — Preceding unsigned comment added by 84.13.170.236 (talk) 00:28, 23 January 2014 (UTC)

Bricked streets
I've seen brick streets also called cobbled, so this article should cover that as well as covering setts. -- 70.50.151.11 (talk) 05:45, 27 February 2014 (UTC)


 * One cannot account for those who call a street paved with bricks a 'cobbled street'. The job of an encyclopaedia is to educate, not to dumb down. Fiddle   Faddle  09:11, 27 February 2014 (UTC)


 * Where would you cover brick "cobbled" roads then? -- 70.50.151.11 (talk) 01:02, 1 March 2014 (UTC)

Merge in cobble (geology)
There's another page cobble (geology) which should be merged in here as the two topics are closely related. Andrew D. (talk) 17:53, 6 April 2016 (UTC)


 * Oppose. Cobbles are do doubt named for cobblestones but the former is a scientific classification, aspects of which have little relevance to cobblestones which are a practical classification. Bob Amnertiopsis ∴ChatMe! 18:18, 6 April 2016 (UTC)
 * Oppose Cobbles are geology, cobblestones are the product of the human built environment. They are usually different things (few cobblestones are made from natural cobbles, even when they're not squared setts) and the scope of the articles has almost no overlap. Andy Dingley (talk) 18:44, 6 April 2016 (UTC)
 * Oppose. They are different, like sand and sandpaper. However, the two articles don't even cross-link where they should, so I see why there is repetition of content. I think a good edit is all that is needed. + m t  22:42, 11 April 2016 (UTC)

Missing Cobblestone - As in the manufactured paving stones used in Cobblestone Streets
I came here to find a reference to the lost art of making Cobblestones for Streets... there were many Cobblestone manufacturers in the United States. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Mikewarot (talk • contribs) 22:13, 23 November 2020 (UTC)
 * Are you perhaps thing about setts rather than cobblestones? Cobblestones are natural and not manufactured.  Martin of Sheffield (talk) 14:37, 24 November 2020 (UTC)

Did vibrations from passing carts damage buildings?
A high school professor told us the the vibrations produced by cart caused some 19th century houses to collapse. But I can't find a source--TZubiri (talk) 14:18, 24 November 2020 (UTC)
 * First I've heard of it. 19C carts were fairly lightweight and cobblestones don't transmit horizontal vibrations in the way that concrete and tarmac do.  What chair did your professor hold - History (or similar) or Engineering? Martin of Sheffield (talk) 14:41, 24 November 2020 (UTC)

Thanks for the input! I might be mistaken but I think it was a history professor. It might be a urban myth.--TZubiri (talk) 01:05, 5 December 2020 (UTC)

Setts
Instead of just removing text, can you come up with a form of words that informs the reader that setts are not cobblestones though often incorrectly called cobbles? For your information, the OED defines cobble as "A water-worn rounded stone, esp. of the size suitable for paving. In earlier times often identified in use with pebble" whereas a Belgian block is "A roughly rectangular paving stone; a sett; frequently attributive". Clearly two different things. Martin of Sheffield (talk) 10:03, 5 July 2024 (UTC)
 * The paragraph already informs the reader perfectly clearly of the distinction: ...a sett is distinct from a cobblestone.... Adding a word like "confusingly", "incorrectly", "wrongly", "inaccurately", "ignorantly", "stupidly" or whatever adds no further information. Whasha (talk) 08:03, 6 July 2024 (UTC)
 * Would "Setts, also called Belgian blocks, are distinct from a cobblestone by being quarried and shaped into a regular form, while cobblestones are naturally occurring forms less uniform in size." satisfy you? By removing the "are often referred to as "cobbles" it ensures that the reader is not mislead into thinking that the same term is used for both.  There are two parts to this paragraph, (1) cobbles <> setts and (2) calling setts cobbles is incorrect.  By removing (2) the reader could be mislead as above.  Have a read of WP:RF and then consider whether telling the reader that (A) setts are often called cobbles and (B) they are different gives the same information. Martin of Sheffield (talk) 09:51, 6 July 2024 (UTC)
 * "calling setts cobbles is incorrect" - no, it isn't. Words have overlapping meanings. The word "cobble" is used for what could also more specifically be called "setts", and Wikipedia has absolutely no authority to claim that is either correct or incorrect. Whasha (talk) 13:15, 8 July 2024 (UTC)
 * Are the article changes still a work in progress? There are direct references to setts being the same as cobblestones elsewhere in the prose and in captions. Seasider53 (talk) 10:08, 6 July 2024 (UTC)
 * The whole of WP is a work in progress. I'll try to get round to shaking out setts/obles confusions tomorrow.  Thanks for the heads up. Martin of Sheffield (talk) 16:08, 6 July 2024 (UTC)