GUTTER, an open channel for conveying water from buildings, roads, etc. Glitters arc necessary for the preservation of such structures, and have thus been in use in all ages. The Greeks, who constructed their roofs with a simple span, used gutters at the eaves of their buildings, hollowed out of the stone which formed the cornice. These gutters discharged their contents on the ground at intervals through small gargoyles (q.v.), usually in the shape of lions' heads. The Romans followed this example, and also formed glitters with tiles laid in cement.
In the middle ages, the eaves seem to have been left without gutters, until, owing to the castles being frequently built on dry, rocky sites, it was found desirable to collect the rain-water and preserve it in cisterns: Stone or wooden eaves, gutters, and pipes were used for this purpose. In ecclesiastical architecture, when the construction became complicated, it was necessary to convey the water from the roofs with great care, so as to prevent damage to the building. It was collected at the eaves of the central roof, and by means of well-projected gargoyles, thrown along channels formed in the crest of the buttresses, and so carried beyond the walls of the building, and thrown off through gargoyles in a number of small streams, which dispersed the water before it reached the ground. This acted well in calm weather, but during storms the water was blown back all over the building, which, in case of its being of it porous stone, softened, and became liable to decay. This led to the use of lead pipes, which carried the water
directly to the ground, and discharged it into open gutters. At first, the pipes were used for conveying the water from the main roof to the roof of the side-chapels, whence it was discharged by gargoyles Pipes conveying the water to the base of the building, were first employed in England, where they seem to have come into use during the 14th century. They were formed with great taste, and had ornamental cups or cisterns at top to receive the water from tire mouth of the gargoyle. They were then, with con siderable foresight, made square in form, not circular, as they usually now are. The advantage of the former section is, that in case the water in the pipe being frozen, there is room for the expanding ice to swell out by slightly changing the form of the square.
Pipes for conducting rain-water have the great advantage of saving foot-passengers the annoyance they meet with from the discharge of the water from gargoyles; but the latter have the advantage of being more easily inspected and kept in good order. Whenever a gargoyle is choked, it shows the accident by its awkward but a lead pipe frequently bursts, and does much damage before the leak is discovered. See SEWAGE.