A datestone is typically an embedded stone with the date of engraving and other information carved into it. They are not considered a very reliable source for dating a house, as instances of old houses being destroyed and rebuilt (with the old date stones intact) have been reported.

Specific locations have often been chosen for datestones, viz.

• corbel
  Corbel
  In architecture a corbel is a piece of stone jutting out of a wall to carry any superincumbent weight. A piece of timber projecting in the same way was called a "tassel" or a "bragger". The technique of corbelling, where rows of corbels deeply keyed inside a wall support a projecting wall or...
  
  
• gable stone
  Gable stone
  Gable stones are carved and often colourfully painted stone tablets, which are set into the walls of buildings, usually at about 4 metres from the ground. They serve both to identify and embellish the building...
  
  
• Gatepost
  Gatepost
  A gatepost is a structure used to support gates or crossbars which control entry to an area, such as a field or driveway.- Purpose :If the gatepost is utilitarian in purpose then gateposts will be made as strictly functional structures; however as part of the 'advertisement' of the status of the...
  
  : a large upright piece of (usually) granite, usually set at the entrance to a driveway or a field.
• keystone
  Keystone (architecture)
  A keystone is the wedge-shaped stone piece at the apex of a masonry vault or arch, which is the final piece placed during construction and locks all the stones into position, allowing the arch to bear weight. This makes a keystone very important structurally...
  
  
• lintel
  Lintel (architecture)
  A lintel can be a load-bearing building component, a decorative architectural element, or a combined ornamented structural item. It is often found over portals, doors, and windows.-Structural uses:...