Cruck Hall
From The Green Hills Series
Cruck or Crook framing is a method of using a pair of bent beams to create an arch that supports the roof and walls. Similar to "gothic arches" in cathedrals and churchs, this method distributes the weight vertically, creating a strong roof support structure over an open hall.
This style of vernacular timber-framing was common to medieval Britain and Wales.
Many open "hall" houses would simply have a fire built in the center of the house, and smoke would either fill the eaves and vent through the thatched roof, or out louvers at the ends of the structure.
Later retrofits often included a stone fireplace in place of the open hearth, and jettied lofts, which would then get closed in to create upper rooms.
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