Preservation - links to resources for the preservation of
old barns
I love post-and-beam (also known as timberpegged or timber-framed)
barns. I admire the beauty of them, the hard work of the people who built them, the skill
of the master framers who crafted the amazing mortise-and-tenon (no nails here, folks)
joints, and the magnificent timber that was used to build them. Where are you going to
find an 80-foot 10" x 10" today? It is a shame that we have lost so many of
these historic buildings.
Barns have a long history, not only because of their use for food storage and farming, but
because of their heavy influence on church architecture. The thing that makes so many
people fall in love with an old barn is the amazing space inside -- the same space that
you get in the nave of a classic church. It is thought that barns served as early churches
in Europe. Even today, we still use the same architectural terms: naveandaislemost notably.
The next time you're in an old barn, look at the high space of the
hay mows, the way the aisles run, and the sunlight shining through the gaps in the planks
like stained glass.
Pictures are of the great Coxwell tithe barn in England.
Page created10/04/96. Last updated 03/17/03 at 14:29.
I love post-and-beam (also known as timberpegged or timber-framed)
barns. I admire the beauty of them, the hard work of the people who built them, the skill
of the master framers who crafted the amazing mortise-and-tenon (no nails here, folks)
joints, and the magnificent timber that was used to build them. Where are you going to
find an 80-foot 10" x 10" today? It is a shame that we have lost so many of
these historic buildings. 
The next time you're in an old barn, look at the high space of the
hay mows, the way the aisles run, and the sunlight shining through the gaps in the planks
like stained glass. 
