Whether you’re looking for a home to buy or to rent, there are many advantages to a cruck framed house. The first benefit is that it has been known to have a higher resale value than a traditional framed house and is also more energy efficient. It’s also less expensive to maintain, and the timber used in its construction isn’t as susceptible to insect damage as the wood used in traditional box frames.
Evidence of cruck frames in England
Historically, the cruck frame was a popular construction method in England. It is a frame built of extended, naturally curved timber that forms a roof ridge. These are anchored to a principal rafter that extends beyond the post connection. The primary purpose of this construction method is to make the building more square and facilitate the addition of extra wings.
The cruck form was considered an ancient construction technique, and its use was not restricted to the gentry. It also represented cultural values. Nevertheless, by the 17th century, the cruck had fallen out of favour in most of Britain.
A new survey of the best-known crucks highlights gaps in our knowledge of the construction method. The list includes the first distribution map of the cruck technique and is the most comprehensive—50% more entries than the previous Catalogue.
Ca This survey was commissioned by the Leverhulme-Trust Trust. The Catalogue reflects the state of knowledge about crucks at the time of publication. It includes a review of the significant factors influencing the rise and fall of this construction technique.
In the early 12th century, cruck halls were built in central England. Later, they were used as status indicators in Wales. Finally, in the mid-16th century, this type of construction was no longer limited to the gentry.
Several cruck barns have aisles open to a nave. These are usually on high-status sites. These large-scale examples are often re-clad. Some medium-scale cruck barns have integral outshoots.
The primary timbers used to construct the cruck may have come from a timber-framed cowhouse built in 1696. This is the oldest example of this technique in Britain. Using this technique, the artisans could choose from various truss types. The resulting ‘truss’ is a vertically-built A-frame that can support an upper floor and is not susceptible to racking.
Although the construction technique is not commonly used today, it has been discoverable recently. There are more than three thousand documented crucks in western Britain and more than two hundred in eastern England.
Sheepdrove
Located on the Berkshire-Oxfordshire border, Sheepdrove is an idyllic organic farm and venue with a touch of rustic and modernity. The venue boasts bespoke luxury accommodation, a restaurant and conference facilities. It also has its lake and ancient oak woodland. The twenty-acre estate includes pontoons and a boathouse.
The Sheepdrove Organic Farm Centre is the home of the UK’s largest organic farm and promotes organic farming. The centre uses sustainable materials and innovative timber engineering. The building is based on the principles of organic agriculture and is powered by 100% renewable energy. The centre is home to a restaurant, conference facilities and study spaces. It was opened by HRH Prince of Wales in 2004.
The building was initially conceived as a cruck-frame barn, using recycled 4.5-metre-wide floor beams from a disused Northern city industrial site. However, the reclaimed beams were too big for the modern industrial build, so a Douglas Fir timber frame replaced it.
The timber used was milled in Northamptonshire. It is said to have been used in the building industry for centuries. This type of curved timber is known as a cruck. Using this material as the main structure allows for utilising the tree’s natural curve and creates a beautiful support system. It was also thought to be the perfect building material for the home.
Unlike a traditional box frame, the cruck-frame transfers the roof load directly to the posts and a horizontal beam forms an A-shape. These beams are then bolted to each other, creating a vaulting rib. This straightforward construction method combines a truss’s functionality with a solid wall’s beauty.
The vaulting ribs have been designed to reduce the use of metal brackets. This is particularly useful in a home where space is limited.
The Prickly Nut Wood home is another example of this type of construction. Ben Law, a long-time stalwart of the Permaculture movement, designed this building. The house is a blend of modern and ancient building methods.
Prickly Nut Wood
Earlier this year, Ben Law, a permaculture and carpentry enthusiast, built a Cruck framed house made of Prickly Nut Wood. The result is a home that addresses many concerns about rural living. Its bare-brick walls and solar power are a model for a new, natural, and ecological way of living. It is also a landmark in the permaculture movement.
A cruck-frame house is a simple building technique that uses the natural curves of the trees to create a roof load and ground-level support. This is a style that is particularly popular in Britain. The first buildings constructed using the technique are believed to have been around the eighth century. Some parts of the country still have a few old cruck-frames.
Law worked with local carpenter Viv Gooding and friends to build his Roundwood home. Law’s design is very exact. The walls are made of rough weatherboards to give an organic feel. There are three roof windows. There is a bathroom and kitchen living room.
The roof is a mix of Douglas Fir and accurately-sawn cedar shingles. The main wall component is straw bales used as stud work. The floor is supported by derelict hazel coppice.
Ben Law describes his home as a “temple to wood”. In a time of heightened environmental concern, the building offers a more ecologically-friendly, energy-efficient solution to the problem of a growing number of people wanting to live in a rural area.
The house was built on a budget of PS30,000. The building was filmed for Channel 4’s Grand Designs. It was voted the public’s favourite Grand Design. During the programme, Law fought for permission to construct a sustainable house in Prickly Nut Wood. As a result, he was able to use materials from the woodland and avoid scaffolding.
Law’s home has been a beacon of permaculture idealism for the past eight years. With its bare-brick walls, wood-fuelled heating system, solar panel, and wind turbine, it continues to inspire and inform those thinking about the future of woodland communities.
Comparing cruck frames to box frames
Traditionally, the two primary forms of timber building in Britain were box frames and crucks. However, there are many variations of each form. The traditional box frame comprises wall frames joined by cross-tie beams. It was used in the construction of residential and commercial buildings.
The cruck frame is a less common form of timber building. It is typically constructed from curved timbers. Its curved shape mimics the natural curve of a tree. It carries the roof load and uses bracing and purlins to support the roof loads between the vaults.
A cruck-framed building usually has three bays. The central bay is without a chimney. The second and third bays are usually roofed. Its timbers are typically milled or sliced from trees, usually oak. Its leading proponent was Peter Boston.
The construction of a cruck frame is not a difficult one. A series of four ribs on each side of the building gradually bend into a deep parabolic half-barrel shape. Each rib moves from a steep incline to nearly horizontal across the roof’s ridge. The roof loads are transmitted to the ground through wall plates and purlins. The interior beams are load-bearing, allowing the heavier weight of the upper floors to be supported.
Generally, the earliest examples of the cruck frame were built before the 17th century. By the nineteenth century, the construction of these types of buildings had declined. Nonetheless, some old cruck-framed structures are still in parts of the country. During the twentieth century, new A-frames emerged as part of the timber revival. A longstanding interest in the history of cruck-framed construction from the Arts and Crafts movement onwards informed them.
In eastern England, there are few documented examples of cruck-framed buildings. This is even though oak is found in a natural distribution that predates the development of carpentry traditions. The use of water power to convert timber may have perpetuated oak distribution.
In South and West Yorkshire, there are late dates for cruck frames, which are confirmed by dendrochronology. Several open hall buildings were also built in March, which is made with crucks.