Timber Framed Buildings

Mini Planet: Little Moreton Hall Cheshire UK, originally uploaded by fotofacade.

In line with my recent post on the material WOOD. Check out my Timber Framed Buildings set on flickr.

Timber framed buildings are one of the most articulate and honest expressions of architecture, especially in the UK.

Mini Planet: Little Moreton Hall

Little Moreton Hall, Cheshire UK

Mapping The Historic Environment

Above is a photo I took in Lavenham, Suffolk UK in 2005. I have compiled a series of images and geo-referenced them on an archimap which can be viewed with the free google earth download. Lavenham is a wonderful example of a medieval wool town with a whole rack of timber framed buildings. I have geo-referenced them on the archimap.

It is a wonderful way to view architecture. You can download the map for free here. There is also a Manchester map and a Cheesden Industrial Valley Map.

Curiously in the Lavenham archimap I have highlighted a site which looks potentially archaeological. What do you think?

More from my blog on 'archimaps'

More from my blog on 'timber framed buildings'

All of my images of Lavenham

All of my images of timber framed buildings

Andy Marshall is a professional architectural photographer. Most images can be downloaded 24/7 at Alamy

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All images are copyright Andy Marshall and must not be used without prior permission.

Little Moreton Hall Cheshire UK

Predominantly C15th and C16th moated timber framed building in Cheshire UK. Owned by the National Trust.

Andy Marshall is a professional architectural photographer. Most images can be downloaded 24/7 at Alamy

More about Andy Marshall
Contact Andy Marshall
Search all of Andy Marshall's Images

All images are copyright Andy Marshall and must not be used without prior permission.

ARCHIPEDIA - J is for...

JETTY - In a timber framed building a jetty is the projection of the timber joists of the floor above over the room below to the exterior.

Medieval Lavenham Archi-Map (timber framed buildings).

Window

Window to C16th timber framed house in Colchester Essex UK with close studded walls

Lavenham Archi-Map

My medieval google earth map of Lavenham is now almost complete you can get it here. You need to have Google Earth installed to view which you can access from the link above also.

Lavenham is a remarkable survival of a medieval town with primarily timber framed buildings dominating and a beautiful Perpendicular style church. It has over 300 listed buildings. In the map I have tried to show some interesting medieval features of timber framed houses.

On the map I have marked an interesting series of lumps and bumps which look like the archeaological remains of some dwellings to the west of Saint Peter and Saint Paul's church. I noticed them when I was compiling the map. I'm sure that there is some information about them out there - please comment if you know any more information. Great site for a dig!

Medieval Lavenham

As an architectural enthusiast a pilgrimage to Lavenham UK has always been on the cards and I spent a heady day there in the summer trying to get to grips with the cacophony of crown posts and cavetto's.

Lavenham is quite simply a dream of a place for me. It has one of the largest intact groupings of medieval timber framed structures as well as a church which is a jewel in the Perpendicular crown.

I have started to put together an archi-map of the place which currently extends to about 10 properties and interesting features. I have some more work to do and I envisage the maps completion over the next week or so. You can get the map here which needs Google Earth to view.

Thanks to SPAB for saving my local

Got my shiny spanking new Cornerstone - magazine from the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings and low and behold I find a pic of my local 'The Old Boars Head' in Middleton.

The photo is in the SPAB archive which dates back to 1877 and is still used to this day to help save our heritage. Apparently The Old Boars Head was threatened with demolition in 1914 with plans for a town hall. Uum well I bet that was a difficult decision;). On a more serious note - it does seem blindingly obvious today that the C16th timber framed Old Boars Head public house should be saved from demolition - but it does happen, and SPAB is at the forefront of such activity often working in the background to help save our cherished (and sometimes not so cherished) architectural heritage.

I'll have an extra pint for SPAB tonight.

ARCHIPEDIA - C is for.....

CLOSE STUDDING - Term used in Timber framed buildings for the close positioning of upright timbers (or studs) within the structural frame of the house. Completely unnecessary in functional terms, close studding was a sign of prosperity and wealth. Possibly originated in East Anglia.

View more images of close studding

Nothing's Changed

On Saturday I went into town. I'm always drawn like the protagonists in Close Encounters to the big urban UFO. I always spend a disproportionate amount of time in the architecture section of the local bookshop. Anyway, whilst meandering around town I was struck by the bright and vibrant displays of fashionable people showing their stuff in the metropolis. What is it about our identity which makes us want to stick out in the crowd? When pondering about our need to be individuals in this contemporary age it struck me that this fashion craze isn't just applicable to today and not just to people. Look at the typical traditional timber framed house of the medieval period. Full of crazy designs and supernatural patterns intended to strut the wealth of the owner across the medieval stage. The design above (I took this in Stratford upon Avon, UK) could be the pattern on a Mary Quant dress? I think it is remarkable that over 500 years ago people were plagued with the same urge to peacock themselves.


Now where did I put my Calvin Kleins?