An Encyclopaedia of English Medieval Carpentry

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Middle Littleton Barn

Illustrated Talks and Lectures:

Robert offers a number of Powerpoint talks and lectures to interested groups:

The Carpenter: Unsung Hero of Medieval Architecture?
An introduction to the work or the Gothic carpenter. Informal in tone, ideal for groups with or without specialist knowledge of the topic.

Form Over Function? The Development of Early Fifteenth-Century Hammer-Beam Roofs.
A discussion of the early years of the golden age of the hammer-beam. Lots on how and why carpenters built these ornate roofs, with some surprising conclusions on their priorities apropos ornament v structure. (Robert presented a form of this talk to The Construction History Society First National Conference (2014), at Queens' College, Cambridge.)

Being Developed:
Dudgeon, Demi-Gods and Dealing: Richard II's Rebuilding of Westminster Hall.
Compared to some of his forebears and successors, Richard II was not much of a builder. So why did he decide to utterly transform the royal hall built by William Rufus? Motives lurking deep in the psychology of this flawed monarch provide the answer.

Hugh Herland: Arch Deceiver? Structural Chicanery in the Westminster Hall Hammer-Beam Roof.
A reappraisal of the structural function of the famous roof from the perspective of the King's Carpenter, Hugh Herland. Contentious! Technical and detailed, this talk is perhaps more suited to aficionados of medieval building practice / carpentry.

Duration: 40-45 minutes plus Q & As.

Cost: These talks are currently offered for payment of travel expenses only (and a cup of tea and biscuit...).

Please note: some means of displaying the Powerpoint slides is essential to the enjoyment of these talks.