| Saltaire (Saltaire) | | Saltaire is the name of a Victorian model village in the City of Bradford. It was founded in 1853 by Sir Titus Salt, a leading industrialist in the Yorkshire woollen industry. | |
| Sanatorium (Sanatorium, Sanatoria) | | A special hospital for patients with tuberculosis. They were built in places with clean air and provided patients with bedrest. Patients often spent time outside. See Tuberculosis. | |
| Sanctuary (Sanctuary, Sanctuaries) | | The area around the main altar of a church. People who had broken the law went there to claim sanctuary or freedom from arrest. | |
| Sarcophagus (Sarcophagus, Sarcophagi) | | A coffin made of stone or other long lasting material. | |
| Scrofula (Scrofula, Scrofulous) | | A type of tuberculosis which leads to swellings in the neck. It was common in children and could be caught from drinking unpasteurised milk. It was associated with poor people. See Tuberculosis | |
| Secular (Secular) | | Secular means not concerned with or devoted to religion. It can be used to describe non religious buildings or people who worked in a monastery but were not bound by monastic vows - the secular or 'lay' brothers. | |
| Shrine (Shrine, Shrines) | | A holy or sacred place which is dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint or similar figure of awe and respect. People set up or visit shrines to venerate or worship the person. Churches often have shrines. | |
| Siege (Siege, Sieges, Beseige, Beseiged) | | A siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering it, either by direct attack or by waiting for people inside the city or fortress to run out of food or water and then surrender. | |
| Smock mill (Smock mill, Smock mills) | | The smock mill consists of a sloping, wooden, tower usually with six or eight sides. It is topped with a roof or cap that rotates to bring the sails into the wind. This type of windmill got its name from its resemblance to smocks worn by farmers in an earlier period. they are particularly common in Kent. | |
| Snuff (Snuff) | | Snuff is a finely powdered tobacco for sniffing up the nose. Taking snuff was very fashionable in Georgian England. | |
| Stucco (Stucco, Stuccoed) | | A hardwearing but fine lime plaster, sometimes incorporating marble dust. It is often used on the outside walls of buildings as a protective coating that can then be painted. It can also be shaped into ornamental or architectural features. White painted stuccoed walls are a feature of classical styles of architecture. | |
| Stud (Stud, Studs, Studding) | | Studs are the upright timbers of a timber-framed wall or partition. Close studding has studs of equal size set close to each other. Ornamental studding used more decorative timbers. | |
| Suttee (Suttee) | | The Hindu practice (rite) of burning widows alive on their husband's funeral pyre. | |
| Symmetry (Symmetry, Symmetrical) | | The quality of having parts that match each other, especially in a way that is attractive. It is often used in architecture particularly Georgian architecture. | |