British Medieval Architecture
Academic papers
MSc Thesis
“Virtual Meccano”:The Creation of Virtual Joints to Explore Vernacular Timber-framed Construction Methods of the Late Medieval Period (c1400-1530).
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The thesis has now been published and available for purchase on Amazon
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PhD Thesis
Abstract
The main focus of this thesis is to establish the usefulness of a timber joint typology, produced by dendrochronology between AD1250 and 1530, in the dating of previously undated buildings, along with the recalibration of Cecil Hewett’s published typologies (Hewett 1980). This contention is addressed, in Hampshire, through the physical surveying of 95 properties, and through the recalibration of Hewett by surveying 9 of his case studies, from outside the county, to act as a control set. A primary aim is to explore the wider material culture surrounding the late-medieval carpenter, to address Richard Harris’s suggestion that timber-framing was a result of “cultural activities” and, therefore, “no building form or method of construction was ever determined by timber, stone, rainfall or sunshine” (Harris 1989, 1). When this is taken into consideration, it is clear to see that an understanding of the “cultural activities” that occurred between 1250 and 1530, needs to be investigated in order to understand the structures designed and built within that culture, for that culture. As the collation of published works regarding the “crisis” of the 14th century will show, the attitudes toward death of the survivors of famines, wars and the Black Death (1348-50) changed. Chapter 6 will give evidence for how the shifting cultural values shifted in the wake of the pandemic through its depiction in art, burial, church architecture and social-economic upheaval. Though the study of such is well represented in the literature, especially with regard to the Black Death, it is how carpentry was affected by these “cultural activities” within Hampshire that is ground breaking.
Because the research included the photographic survey of joints using a digital camera, and locations recorded via a Global Positioning System (GPS), a computer based methodology was applied. This also permitted the creation of a geo-database that also included original graphical information, regarding the various joint types, through the medium of three dimensional (3D) modelling. The result of which is both novel and cutting edge within the field of buildings archaeology and dendro-archaeology and inextricably linked with the expansion of this dataset in the future. This will be facilitated by enabling researchers in other areas to access, query and ultimately update the information contained within. Therefore ensuring longevity and promoting the significance of this pilot, regional study. This also means that now it is possible to emulate this research by accessing the database, rather than the structures themselves. This may not be an issue for those researchers living within the area, but for peers researching from another country, the placing of the information online is invaluable. Attention is therefore drawn throughout to the power of Information Communications Technologies (ICT), to illustrate how the ensuing data were managed and recorded.
The thesis, representing an unprecedented, systematic study of a near comprehensive corpus of scientifically dated structures in Hampshire between 1250 and 1530, is supported by references to printed primary sources and accompanied by an associated website http://www.medievalarchitecture.net/. The site was created to both support and disseminate the findings of this new research into joint typologies; together with engaging the wider community in interacting with a visual database, resulting from the unique photographic surveys. While the previous works of Cecil Hewett and Edward Roberts have greatly informed and inspired this research, the systematic recording of timber joints in Hampshire is unique to this project, and although regional in its scope, the novel methodology designed to record and collate the masses of data means the work can be expanded to incorporate other regional studies and ultimately inform a general examination of English Late-medieval carpentry in greater detail in the future.
Synopsys
Building on Fear? The role of Digital Archaeology to aid the study and analysis of structural carpentry techniques in central southern England, c1180 - c1500, the era of the Black Death and successive plagues.
The role of the house (or dwelling) in society is a theme which transcends the period boundaries. Approximately 108 timber-framed medieval buildings have been dendrochronologically dated to between 1244 and 1530 AD in Hampshire, a list of which can be viewed at www.dendrochronology.com. As part of my doctoral reserarch, an extensive survey has been carried out on these buildings to record the different types of joints used in their construction; these joints have then been grouped, by type, to provide a chronology. Although my project is heavily informed by scientific dating methods theory is also an important component. Once my chrono-typologies have been produced and cross- referenced with regard to Hewett’s Essex data, the effects, if any, of the Black Death (1348-50) on carpentry techniques and technologies can be analysed.
The project utilises digital technologies to collect, collate, manage, query and ultimately disseminate data relevant to the study of timber joints. Such technologies include:
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
• Global Positioning Systems (GPS)
• Database Management Systems (DBMS)
• 3D modelling
The 3D modelling provides a means to explore how joints interact with each other, whilst also forming a visual database. This database can be disseminated through various mobile devices, supplying researchers with a real-time, portable, dating aid, for comparison in the field. The combination of GPS and GIS enable the data to be analysed spatially to understand how the buildings work within a landscape context. This then permits the answering of the question "building on fear" by applying theory to the science and asks the question: are the houses being built to protect the occupier from war, famine and plague or are they just projecting status and society?
In order to facilitate archaeological analysis of carpentry joints in late medieval timber-framed buildings and to illuminate demographic and socio-economic change through time, it is necessary to create a new methodology. Zubrow suggests “In order to reach past behaviour, past thinking must be combined with past environments” (Zubrow 2006). In order fully to apply this cognitive theory to buildings archaeology (Whitley 1998), and to answer archaeological questions , I have begun to collate work undertaken by previous scholars with special regard to Hampshire (James & Roberts 2000; Lewis et al. 1988; Miles 2000-05; Roberts 2003b). This will allow me, within a framework of dendrochronological chronology, to study the joints and the houses which they frame, in their surviving settings, by implementing various computer models and simulations outlined below:
• a relational database (utilising MS Access)
• by visiting and recording selected buildings (Alcock et al. 1989; Pearson & Meeson 2001), as suggested in (Roberts 2003b) in consultation with Mr Roberts as adviser to the project
• by gathering photographic, photogrammetric and textual information through fieldwork
• by gathering data from printed sources (Lewis et al. 1988; Miles 2000-05; Roberts 2003b; James & Roberts 2000) and local records offices (maps, plans etc)
• by combining all information in one location and making that available to the wider public via the internet (Welfare 2001; Richards 2006)
• to provide a means to access, amend, expand and update by granting permissions to peers via the internet (AHDS 2005)• a geo-database (utilising ArcGIS)
• by digitising modern Ordnance Survey maps, historical tithe maps (e.g. at Hampshire Record Office) and aerial photographs, (e.g. from http://edina.ac.uk/) to create map layers in ArcGIS, the past environment can be simulated (Daly & Evans 2006; Gillings 2005; Lock 2003; Gillings & Wheatley 2002; Dibble & McPherron 2002)
• by digitising locations of the buildings on to various layers, grouped by date and type
• a visual database (utilising both AutoCAD and 3ds max)
• by gathering various 2 dimensional (2D) illustrations from published works (Alcock et al. 1989; Harris 1978; Hewett 1969; Hewett 1980)
• by gathering photographs and text from field work
• by creating and building various 3D models from the above 2D records of different joint types using 3D studio max, AutoCAD, Maya etc
• placing the resulting 3D models in a relational database (Haddlesey 2005)
Following the compilation of the databases and the creation of a computer based methodology, a systematic examination of the selected timber-framed buildings centred on Hampshire will commence. The structure of the databases allows queries to be run against the data to examine patterns and trends in the data. Both the creation and dissemination of digital data, especially with regard to buildings archaeology, have been flagged as major concern by both English Heritage and the AHRC (AHRC 2005; English_Heritage 2005). This methodology will not only permit to answer the question I propose, but will also allow other researchers to access the data, via the ADS and WWW, to help answer their own questions (Richards 2006; Welfare 2001). Such queries may include:
• grouping houses by date through the period
• establishing similarities or differences in the groupings
• analysing the evolution of the later medieval domestic plan (Gardiner 2000)
• assessing joint typologies in relation to date (Hewett 1969; Hewett 1980)
• identifying if location plays a part in the survival of houses –i.e. rural versus urban, proximity to ecclesiastical sites etc
• analysing whether spatial location can infer social status (Dyer 1986; Gardiner 2000; Johnson 1993a; Johnson 1997; Hillier & Hanson 1984)
• undertaking map regression by virtual means to explore spatial changes related to the identified properties (using ArcGIS)
The study will provide images and movie-clips of the various joints and their interactions in ways that will enable researchers to take the work into the field, by using various mobile media devices (Haddlesey 2005b)
The PhD analysis will compare results from Hampshire with data from a wider geographical area (Harris 1978; Miles 2000-05; Pearson 1994; West 1970). In comparing Hampshire data to that from selected structures in adjacent counties within central southern England, the questioning of present social and theoretical debates can be undertaken. For example using, archaeological standing –buildings study techniques (Alcock et al. 1989; Pearson 2001; Harris 1978), progress will be more secure in the study of dated timber-joints (Miles 2000-05; Roberts 2003b). Other plastic arts, for example architectural style, manuscript illumination, stained glass, stone sculpture etc have largely been studied on an art-historical, typological basis, which makes the application of secure dating to timber-jointing an especially valuable comparison. Can a break or change be perceived in carpentry jointing around the period of the “Black Death”? (James 1999c; James & Roberts 2000; Johnson 1997; Johnson 1993b; Johnson 2000; Lindley 1996; Samson 1990; Tilley 1994). It remains an element in the study to try to establish changes in vernacular carpentry-jointing during this period through standing-buildings study in order to assess if the carpenters of the time acted in response to demographic change (“building on fear”) or simply employ changing technologies of jointing through time.
The methodology was initially explored during my Masters, where I began to test various computer technologies required to undertake the research I propose here. A small library of timber joints was created, and a full structural “virtual” model built, to test the methods and workflow necessary to create the visual element of this proposal (Fernie & Richards 2003; Haddlesey 2005c). Another methodology learnt at post-graduate level, was how to create and maintain Database Management Systems (DBMS) and Geo-databases using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) (Dibble & McPherron 2002). The learning of eXtensible Markup Language (XML) and its associated technologies has equipped me to provide data and meta-data that can be gathered, accessed and updated, together with ensuring longevity and interoperability across emerging platforms (AHDS 2005; Fernie & Richards 2003; Haddlesey 2005c). This analysis and methodology will underpin and establish a platform which will enable my research to contribute new understandings locally and regionally and point the way for a potential national survey.