Cobblestones are stones that were frequently used in the pavement of early streets. "Cobblestone" is derived from the very old English word "cob", which had a wide range of meanings, one of which was "rounded lump" with overtones of large size. "Cobble", which appeared in the15th century, simply added the diminutive suffix "Le" to "cob", and meant a small stone rounded by the flow of water;
Cobblestones and setted streets gradually gave way to macadam roads, and later to tarmac, and finally to asphalt at the beginning of the 20th century. However, cobblestones are often retained in historic areas, even for streets with modern vehicular traffic. many older villages and cities in Europe are still paved with cobblestones. In recent decades, cobblestones have become a popular material for paving newly pedestrianized streets in Europe. In this case, the noisy nature of the surface is an advantage as pedestrians can hear approaching vehicles. The visual cues of the cobblestones also clarify that the area is more than just a normal street. The use of cobblestones/setts is also considered to be a more "upmarket" roadway solution, having been described as "unique and artistic" compared to the normal asphalt road environment.
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