Building Blocks

A brief look at architecture as it has evolved over time.


The English Cottage

1. Timeframe: 1623-1630. These were the first permanent home of the settlers
2. Building Materials: posts, wood bean frame, thin wall studs and roof rafters, twigs, mud, woven grass
3. Structure: To make the frame, four sturdy posts were spaced evenly out with wood beams notched and pegged together on top. Studs and roof rafters were then notched into the frame. Walls were made of woven twigs and insulated with mud. Hand split and later, pit sawn, wood clapboards were nailed into place. The roof was steep and made of thatched grass or reeds and offered protection from rain and snow. Stone fireplaces, with stick chimneys, were built in these one room structures. Windows were small and few to prevent heat loss. A variation of this home would be using equal sized beams for the entirety of the structure with twigs and mud used for walls. However, the wooden beams were left exposed. This is known as half-timbering.