World House News

The framed buildings relied on the fact that a large number of posts were put into the ground to form the basis if the walls. These posts could be set as deep as 2.4m (8') deep on great buildings, although usually the post holes were much shallower than this. A wall plate then connected all the beams in each wall of the building. Tie beams running across the building, and the roof frames, were secured to the wall plates. The spaces between the upright posts were then filled in and the roof was finished. The floor was sometimes just packed earth, but could sometimes be planked, cobbled, or even given a 'concrete like' covering of slaked lime. There was regularly a raised hearth in the centre of the building. Framed buildings were often much larger than sunken featured building, and could have a second storey. The larger buildings tended to have extra rows of posts inside the building to help support the roof. Some framed buildings had wooden 'buttresses' around the outside to help support the building.