Stefan's Florilegium

buildings-msg

buildings-msg - 12/7/99

Medieval building construction.

NOTE: See also the files: bridges-msg, castles-msg, cities-msg,
p-tents-art, p-tents-msg, wood-msg, tools-msg, wood-finishes-msg.

************************************************************************
NOTICE -

This file is a collection of various messages having a common theme that
I have collected from my reading of the various computer networks. Some
messages date back to 1989, some may be as recent as yesterday.

This file is part of a collection of files called Stefanšs Florilegium.
These files are available on the Internet at: http://www.florilegium.org

I have done a limited amount of editing. Messages having to do with
seperate topics were sometimes split into different files and sometimes
extraneous information was removed. For instance, the message IDs were
removed to save space and remove clutter.

The comments made in these messages are not necessarily my viewpoints. I
make no claims as to the accuracy of the information given by the
individual authors.

Please respect the time and efforts of those who have written these
messages. The copyright status of these messages is unclear at this
time. If information is published from these messages, please give
credit to the orignator(s).

Thank you,
Mark S. Harris AKA: Lord Stefan li Rous
RSVE60@email.sps.mot.com stefan@texas.net
************************************************************************

From: jokke@nipsu.unda.fi (Jokke Kaksonen)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: architecture
Date: 22 Feb 1994 08:51:03 GMT
Organization: Unda Oy - a Scitex Company

In article <9402220225.tn03101@aol.com>, alban@aol.COM writes:
> I'm looking for information on how to build medieval houses, long--houses,
> and one- or two-room structures suitable for an SCA site. Wood is no
> problem; I have sufficient acreage to find tall trees for the beams (there
> are an amazing number of pin oaks hereabouts, which grow 30 to 40 feet...),
> and can get smaller pieces, no problems. What I am specifically looking for
> are specific instructions - how long to cut beams, where to notch the
> mortises and tenons, how to raise walls with nothing more than ropes and
> muscle, and so forth, and so on. Plans I have, courtesy of art history and
> architectural history books. What I need is a how-to manual. Any suggestions
> for sources, either written or walking around?

For wooden structures I don't have any suggestions, but if you build a house
of stone then this could be of some help. We have here in Finland a church
which was built in 1200-and something. It was built in the following manner.
First they made the foundation and built around it the wall as high as a
mans waist. After this they filled the inside of the wall with earth. Thus
the higher they built the wall they always filled the inside of the church
to the same height with earth. As they built also a ramp leading to the top
of the building, it enabled them to drive with vagons all the way up to
the current level of the building. This way they just drove all the building
materials they needed easily to the place where they were used. Finally when
the church was ready they simply dug out the earth from within.

In service of the Dream
Celestinus mac Criohmthainn

From: WISH@uriacc.uri.edu (Peter Rose)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Medieval References? (Was: Re: Children, right or wrong?)
Date: Mon, 03 Jun 96 13:46:58 EDT
Organization: University of Rhode Island

>Sounds good to me. Come to think of it, I'm having the Devil's own time
>trying to find decent references for medieval architecture. I'm looking
>for more along the lines of practical architecture, like designs of hill
>forts, castles, guard outposts, merchant's shops/homes, village churches,
>etc. There's more than enough on things like cathedrals and other
>monumental architecture.

Well, that Hanawalt book: "the ties that bind" ISBN0-19-503649-2
that someone mentioned
a while ago in ref. to medieval coroner's reports has some rudimentary
descriptions of wattle-and-daub construction, and also something called
"cobb". Along with some commentary about the number of people killed
by having chunks of their house or church fall on them...

All told, it's an interesting book, With discussions of everything from
roadways, water-sources, 'legerwite' how much land to support a family,
how much family to support the land.. etc.

If anyone cares, I've extracted all the name-references I could find.
Since the reports get repeated I'm not sure how statistically useful
the list is, but ALICE is a lot more common than I'd expected...

From: IMC@vax2.utulsa.EDU (Marc Carlson)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: re: Medieval References...
Date: 5 Jun 1996 12:37:16 -0400
Organization: The Internet

<Cormac MacWilliam<Bill Hartwell <fbkdc@execpc.com>>>
>Sounds good to me. Come to think of it, I'm having the Devil's own time
>trying to find decent references for medieval architecture. I'm looking
>for more along the lines of practical architecture, like designs of hill
>forts, castles, guard outposts, merchant's shops/homes, village churches,
>etc. There's more than enough on things like cathedrals and other
>monumental architecture.
>Anyone able to point me to useful sources?

I don't know how useful it is, but I recall some floor plans, and
basic information about houses in Colin Platt's "The English Medieval
Town". I just saw a book recently in the "house design" section of
a local book store on the architecture of French peasant architecture,
and the differences by region and so forth. I was in a hurry, and
missed getting the cite, so of course they had sold it by the time
I got back. I'm pretty sure it will turn up again, and when it does,
I'll mention it.

"Fides res non pecunniae, Diarmuit Ui Dhuinn
sed temporis" University of Northkeep/Company of St. Jude
-- Unknown Recreator Northkeepshire, Ansteorra
(I. Marc Carlson/IMC@vax2.utulsa.edu)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
From: farside@USA1.Com (Bob Naismith)
Subject: Re: Medieval References...
Date: Thu, 20 Jun 1996 00:51:41 GMT

In article <4p6mdt$ipo@usenet.rpi.edu>, habura@lib122.its.rpi.edu says...
>
>Cormac asks about sources of information on medieval buildings.
>
>Christopher Dyer's _Standards of Living in the Later Middle Ages_ has a
>number of floor plans of smaller buildings, including an artisan's
>workshop/living quarters and a merchant's house/warehouse complex.
>Very neat. (I keep plugging this book, I know...but it's just so
>interesting!)
>
>A friend also has a book on the Coppergate dig at York, which discusses
>house plans and construction techniques, including full information on
>a 13th c. cistern. Lots of photos. I'll try to remember to ask him
>for the title.
>
>Alison MacDermot
>*Ex Ungue Leonem*

Another source of information on medieval period buildings, in England, is
Margaret Wood's _The English Mediaeval House_ ISBN 1 85891 167 2. I got my
copy through Barnes & Noble's Books By Mail catalog, for under $15. Their
number is 1-800-843-2665.

Sibley of Nethercerne

From: "Edwin L. Hewitt" <brogoose@pe.net>
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Date: 22 Aug 1996 11:48:39 GMT
Organization: PE.net - Internet access from the Press-Enterprise Company

Hi, Edvin here.

The birth of the "Gothic Style" of Architecture is (generally)
agreed to be 1140 when Suger, Abbot of the Royal Abbey of St. Denis
built his famous western portal. This style (called in period,
"after the French Manner") was further developed and used for well
over 100 years. Renaissance builders condemned the style by naming
it after the barbarian goths.

Just a note of trivia: one of the greatest inspirations of the
cathedral builders was writings of Dionysius the Pseudo-Areopagite.
At that time, it was believed that he was a companion of St. Paul,
therefore, his writings would have Apostolic authority. His
writings on the heavenly hierarchy and his analogies of God as
Light were considered divinely inspired. Thus the "gothic"
style had a significant emphasis on the use of light. Later,
it was proven that Dionysius (or St. Denis) was a lowly 3rd century
Coptic monk, and not the companion of Paul. One of the greatest
technological and artistic achievements of man was in part due to
a case of mistaken identity!

From: powers@colon.cis.ohio-state.edu (william thomas powers)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: log construction
Date: 7 Mar 1997 18:34:48 -0500
Organization: The Ohio State University, Department of Computer and Information
Science

> Anyone have sources for info on log homes?
> Ross Martinek

Modern or period, log *cabins* or post&beam structures, How to build,
how to find kit homes, architectual documentation, insulation values....

Yes we have sources of info...

So while waiting for a directed request: may I commend
"A Log Builder's Handbook", Drew Langsner, Rodale Press, isbn 0-87857-416-6
for infornmation on building your own.

"Mother Earth News" for adds for kit homes

and most exceptionally!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"The Craft of Log Building" by Herman Phleps pub by Sterling Publishing Co.
isbn0-9691019-1-0

for beautiful examples of eastern european log buildings with *period*
examples and a wealth of details. Written by one of the foremost
authorities, originally published in 1942 in German re-published
in 1982 in translation

wilelm

From: gerekr@aol.com (Gerekr)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: log construction
Date: 8 Mar 1997 09:28:24 GMT

I would also suggest: Holan, Jerri. _Norwegian Wood._ New York: Rizzoli,
1990. (ISBN 0-8478-0954-4, 0-8478-0955-2 (pbk.) NA1261.H65 1990
721'.0448'09485 88-4692.) It goes back into period stuff.

Master Gerek

Date: Mon, 18 May 1998 22:55:22 -0500
From: Berwyn <lordberwyn@ibm.net>
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Stave Church

This may be of interest to Norse types. There is a full-size replica of
a Norwegian stave church being built at the Hjemkomst Heritage Center in
Moorhead, MN (Just across the river from Fargo, ND). We stopped for a
look on the way back from an event yesterday, and the sight of it
brought tears to my eyes. I'm not sure of the completion date, but it
looks like it is getting close.
The Center was built to house the Hjemkomst, a replica Viking longship
which was built in Minnesota by a man with a dream. He died before its
completion, but his son finished the project and the ship sailed from
Duluth, MN to Bergen, Norway.

If for some strange reason you happen to be travelling the northern tier
of states (Interstate 94), a stop will be worth your time.

More info on the boat and museum is at
http://www.atpfargo.com/hjem/hjemkomst/index.html

Berwyn

Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1998 09:19:13 -0600
From: Nancy Lynch <lughbec@info2000.net>
To: sca-arts@raven.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: Re: Early Period Biulding References

Rikki Mitman wrote:
> I'm building a pavilion that I will paint to look like a very early-period
> thatched home (Welsh or Irish). I think I prefer it to look like stone, rather
> than wood, if this is not historically unreasonable.
>
> Does anyone have suggestions of pictorial references? On the web
> would be nice; books I can track down through ILL are okay, too.
> Drawings by knowledgeable types, photos of excavations or credible
> re-creations -- any of these would be welcome.
>
> I'm not overly fanatical about accuracy for this project -- it is, after
> all, still
> painted canvas. But I would like it to have a reasonably realistic look.
>
> Teleri ferch Pawl
.......................
My husband, Lord Conchobhar O'Loingseachain, is the local expert on that
subject so when he gets home I will direct him to your question. As I
understand it though, there were rock homes that were made in rocky
areas (sensible). All the homes I know of were round. Out buildings
and storage areas were sometimes rectangular. The homes were mostly
made of a wattle construction covered with daub (mud), with an exterior
wattle and an air space, then an interior wattle.
The books I know of that are with good pics are as follows...

The Prehistoric Archaeology of Ireland - John Waddell, Galway University
Press, 1998 -ISBN 1 901421 10 4

Irish Archaeology Illustrated - edited by Michael Ryan, Country House,
Dublin, 1997 -ISBN 0 946172 33 1

Check with Conchobhar if you have further questions.:)
Sonas ort! (Happiness on you!)
Mistress Lughbec

Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1998 09:42:56 -0500 (EST)
From: Jenne Heise <jenne@tulgey.browser.net>
To: SCA Arts list <sca-arts@raven.cc.ukans.edu>
Subject: Renaissance & Baroque Architecture

From the Scout Report, a review of a teaching resource:

10. Renaissance and Baroque Architecture: Architectural History 102
http://www.lib.virginia.edu/dic/colls/arh102/index.html

This site hosts a collection of over 500 images that were prepared by the
Digital Image Center at the University of Virginia Library for use in
Professor C. W. Westfall's course on Renaissance and Baroque Architecture.
The images are grouped topically, as they were covered in the class.
Section titles include Florence in the 15th Century, The Sixteenth
Century--Bramante and Roman Architecture, French Explorations of the New
Classicism, The Holy Roman Emperor Rediscovers the Empire, and England
Accepts Classicism, among others. Each section contains a number of
thumbnails each of which leads to a full-sized JPEG image. It should be
noted that the images are not individually labelled, but instead each
section offers a description list at the bottom of the page. In some
sections, but not in all, these are also hyperlinked. Teachers, scholars,
students, and the general public are free to use these images for
educational purposes. [MD]

Jadwiga Zajaczkowa (Shire of Eisental; HERMS Cyclonus), mka Jennifer Heise

Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1998 04:47:31 -0500
From: rmhowe <magnusm@ncsu.edu>
To: sca-arts@raven.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: Medieval Architectural images and Charters. Vernacular Architecture
and fittings.

http://www.le.ac.uk/elh/pot/intro.html#teachsect
Contains images of medieval buildings, churches, interior woodwork.
Also contains translations of medieval charters.
Some of you might find this interesting.

Magnus

Date: Tue, 24 Nov 1998 08:42:03 -0500
From: "Gray, Heather" <Heather@Quodata.Com>
To: "'sca-arts@raven.cc.ukans.edu'" <sca-arts@raven.cc.ukans.edu>
Subject: RE: Cavalier things

Here's a web site on timber-framed houses.
http://www.netcomuk.co.uk/~lachlan/timber.html

It says it starts with houses in the 13th century and goes to the 19th
century, focusing on houses in England and Wales. Here's a little
excerpt from the intro:
"The emphasis is not on Great Houses or Stately Homes but on the
simpler dwellings of cottagers, merchants and yeomen, although many of
the last two were wealthy. Nor is it a complete scholarly dissertation
ranking with academic sources - I am not an expert and the bibliography,
college courses etc. will take you further if you want.

Important technological breakthroughs and techniques are described
such as the minimization of damp, the invention of the chimney, the use of glass
in windows."

Has some nice pictures, links, bibliography, glossary of terms, and
descriptions with drawing of different types of timer frames.

Elwynne

Date: Mon, 30 Nov 1998 17:06:32 -0500 (EST)
From: Jenne Heise <jenne@tulgey.browser.net>
To: SCA Arts list <sca-arts@raven.cc.ukans.edu>
Subject: medieval art & architecture website

>From LIIWEEK:
Medieval Art and Architecture - http://www.pitt.edu/~medart/

A collection of architectural images from the Middle Ages. Included for
many of the buildings is a map of its location, a floor plan, photos, and
a brief description. Currently, structures from France and England are
represented. Included are many maps from William Shepherd.s Historical
Atlas and a glossary. - dl

Jadwiga Zajaczkowa (Shire of Eisental; HERMS Cyclonus), mka Jennifer Heise

From: mizzi@aol.com (Mizzi)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Seek advice for portable house
Date: 23 Jun 1999 15:00:03 GMT

> One must also add some type of aging and artistic touch, because most
>people expect the item to look a certain way. If it looks to "New" then it has
>a tendency to look fake. But as you pointed out this can go too far and I fight
>this all the time in movies.

Having just read "The Ties that Bound", a history book of family life of the
English Peasantry in the 13th/14th cent. I have a comment on wattle & daub
houses. The author confirms that they were the most common type of housing
used by the peasants and that they were indeed small, 3 rooms at the outside.
Lofts were pretty common and used for storage and sleeping.

But about the age of the house. She found evidence that a particular house
rarely lasted more than about 20 years. By the time the kid inherits (son or
daughter) there was so much repair to be done on the old house that the
inheritor would simply build a new one. A big advantage of wattle & daub as a
construction technique is that it's quick and cheap being made from readily
available materials. OTOH It's very suceptible to water dammage if the roof
leaks and thatched roofs did eventually leak. It was a slowish process but over
time the roof developed leaks and the walls developed weaknesses. Yes you
could repair but it was a loosing battle and you eventually picked a spot not
too far away on your home acre or so and built another house. Sometimes the
old house was used as a barn. Other times when the old house was in better
shape than usual it was the oldsters in the family that got a new little 'dower
house'. In later centuries, when construction changed to stone and timber
houses were preserved from generation to generation and got that real 'old'
look.
Just a note in passing. The prospect of more neat looking dewllings at
Pennsic is exciting. I wish you well.
YIS, Mairgret

From: StCurrie@ix.netcom.com (Steven Currie)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Smithsonian 2 Articles
Date: Fri, 06 Aug 1999 02:38:57 GMT
Organization: Time Warner Cable of San Diego, CA

The July 1999 issue of Smithsonian magazine has two period articles.

One has several pictures of ruined English abbeys, such as Byland,
Binham Priory, Buildwas and Tintern. These are wonderful pictures,
with all of them taken at night or dusk.

The second article is on events at the last millenium. I haven't read
it yet, but a quick overview reveals it should be very interesting.

Lord Etienne of Burgundy
Minister of Arts and Sciences
Barony of Calafia
Kingdom of Caid

Date: Tue, 16 Nov 1999 13:31:14 -0500 (EST)
From: cclark@vicon.net
Subject: Re: SC - smoking

Puck wrote:
>The latest Mother Earth News (okay, not exactly a period resource) declares
>in their really KEWL build yer own sauna article, that the chimney is a 19th
>century invention. Now I know this to be far from the truth, but I suspect
>from my research its not too durn far. Any ideas? ...

A while back I read a book or two about period architecture, and from what I
recall chimneys are (at least in England) nearly a thousand years old. It
used to be that there was an open hearth at the middle of the hall, and a
louver on top of the roof (a long way up) for ventilation. After a while
they sometimes added a sort of central hanging chimney starting above the
hearth and going directly up to the louver. After they discovered that
putting a hood over a fireplace by the wall improved the draw (about the
12th century, perhaps?), then they started to develop a preference for
fireplaces by the side of the room, with a hood or mantle and a chimney.

Alex Clark/Henry of Maldon

Date: Mon, 15 Nov 1999 19:41:02 -0800
From: "Laura C. Minnick" <lcm@efn.org>
Subject: Re: SC - smoking

Richard Kappler II wrote:
> My newest toy, _Fast and Feast_, talks about a piece of beef hung to smoke
> in the chimney in November (slaughter season), then hung in the chimney
> overwinter to be used for Easter supper.
>
> This brings up several questions.
> The latest Mother Earth News (okay, not exactly a period resource) declares
> in their really KEWL build yer own sauna article, that the chimney is a 19th
> century invention. Now I know this to be far from the truth, but I suspect
> from my research its not too durn far. Any ideas? When did we advance from
> the 'hole in the top of the thatched roof' thing to the 'brick in the hearth
> and oh by the way put a hole at the top of the bricks' thing?

Last I knew the archeolgical evidence would point to the presence of
chimneys fairly early- tile or clay at the least (Sweetie? Do you have
anything on that?) However, A) fires without chimneys have difficulty
getting a good 'draw' to pull the smoke away from the house. You really
need the siphon effect of the chimney to get the smoke out of your
cottage- and a great many houswifery manuals, etc., caution against
having a smoky fire; B) without a chimney, you have alot more problem
with sparks- and with a thatched roof, that can be disasterous; C)
there's a folk tale, one version of which is 15th c. (can't find it at
the moment, though I think from the _Heptameron_) that has husband and
wife swapping roles for the day. The fellow can't cope, eventually takes
the cow up onto the roof (thatch or sod) rather than out to pasture,
loops the tether around the chimney, passes it down through, and then
when indoors, he ties the end 'round his own meiddle. Of course, Bossy
loses her footing and slips off the roof, strangling, and the rope pulls
the husband up into the chimney, where he is stuck until the wife comes
home...

Also loads of pix of places with chimneys...

Besides, the staff at TMEN has never been known for scholars...

'Lainie

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