Timber Frame Building

Fantastic Opportunity! Traditional Timber Frame Building Course.

The Oxford University Harcourt Arboretum will be running a series of courses to build a Craft Shelter in their grounds at Nuneham Courtney. The structure will incorporate a beautiful “Cruck” design with its elegant sweeping arches. Timber of various species from the arboretum's own woodland is in the process of being milled for the project: oak, ash, sycamore, and several varieties of softwood have already been cut.

The courses will be taught by renown timber frame historian, practitioner, and instructor; Henry Russell of the Carpenters’ Fellowship. It’s suitable for beginners and improvers alike, and tools will be provided. Most of the work will be hand tools, including some timber conversion (that means converting it from a round tree into a square beam, or in the case of the crucks and braces: shaping the curves from milled out slabs.) So we will be hewing and possibly some pit, or frame-sawing!

Part One: 6th - 10th May, repeated 13th - 17th May: Walls and Cross frames.

Both weeks of part one will cover the same material, but work on different parts of the building. We will be starting from scratch with shaping posts, and scarf joints in plate runs. A wall frame will be laid up and braces and posts scribed in, with their mortice and tenon joints. The cross frames will encompass English Tying joints and what we’ve all been waiting for... the Cruck!

We are aiming for a combination of “open” and “closed” trusses, scarfed purlin and ridge runs, scribed in wind braces, and common rafters utilising small section and/or round timber. We will also have a go at pegs and roof shingles.

Raising: 29th and 30th June

All students will be invited to come back and put the building up! We will accomplish this with the aid of a Gin Pole. It’s a bit like a person-powered crane: a large tree trunk guyed to the ground, with a block and tackle at the top. The lift is supplied by a bunch of “willing volunteers” hauling on the rope. Enthusiasm a must – good fun guaranteed!

The cost for each week is £375, which includes daily lunch and refreshments, and free camping on site at Harcourt for those who want to. I can also supply a list of local accommodation. For our evening meals, a barbeque and (some) cooking facilities will be provided, or there is an excellent pub near by.