Ty Mawr constructs

History Matters has began a project to construct 3 reproduction medieval buildings in the grounds of Ty Mawr hall as a resource for visitors, students and volunteers.

The aim is to facilitate living history displays without resorting to canvas tents for shelters to demonstrate from; whilst exploring traditional building techniques and teaching the skills and crafts required.

We have included the construction of 3 timber framed buildings as part of the 5 year Heritage Interpretation Plan for the site, the process of converting trees into timber, constructing the frames and raising the buildings will also feature as part of our displays for visitors and students.

We plan to raise 3 buildings:

1) an open fronted 'shelter shed' to be used as a workshop area for the construction of the other buildings and as a display area for artisans and visiting crafts people.

2) a kitchen building that incorporates the existing bread ovens , a newly created spring fed water sump and the field kitchen.

3) the largest building will be a barn that can serve as a teaching space, craft display area or recreated medieval house interior.

As suggested by the plans and form of the timber frames of Ty Mawr aisled hall medieval buildings where designed and laid out according to a set of simple geometric principles that originated in the classical period and continued into the middle ages.

The geometry is a simple repeated daisy wheel set out on a centre line, the wheels determining the building’s rectangular proportions in the ratio 3 : 2 and dimensions 16 feet 6 inches the diameter of the wheels and 1 medieval Rod x 8 feet 3 inches.

The grid can be constructed from a single dimension, in this case the Rod, chosen because it fits the space available on site. In compass geometry terms the Rod is halved to 8 feet 3 inches for the radius of circles that are 1 Rod in diameter. No further dimensions are needed as the design develops.

Framing plans based on geometric principles for the shelter shed (above ) and the barn (below)

After Laurie Smith.