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A true magnum opus, Cecil A. Hewett's English Historic Carpentry appeals to every type of architectural historian, from the connoisseur of cathedrals to the vernacular 'barn and cottage' enthusiast. It also offers practical insight into the structure and age of the old homes and outbuildings of Britain, and will reveal that much timber-work is appreciably older than their owners might think. This book will be a source of pride and inspiration to all who work in timber today, showing that the master carpenters of the past achieved their highest levels of craftsmanship well before the master masons, and that they were their equals as medieval architects. Beginning as a young upstart with wild theories, Hewett grew to become the accepted authority on all matters of historic carpentry and a pioneer of a whole new technology in the dating of ancient buildings. In English Historic Carpentry, he provides the definite statement of his work, superbly illustrated by his own drawings. As Hewett maintained, 'the building is the document' and this book will teach you how to read the evidence that is written in wood.
Well over a hundred great churches were built in the cathedral tradition in the Middle Ages. They are our most important group of historical monuments and embody the finest craftwork of medieval architecture. Despite a great mass of specialist literature and research on other aspects, it was not until Cecil A. Hewett's work over the past three decades that any serious attention was paid to their functional carpentry or, indeed, to their decorative timberwork. Examining the entire range of 'great' churches, Hewett's carefully reasoned and well-organised text covers all areas of monastic and cathedral carpentry, classifying roof structures, towers and spires in chronological order, while an important section deals with the surviving examples of hoisting machinery still in situ, some from a very early date. In English Cathedral and Monastic Carpentry, he relates the physical evidence to the documentary record supported with over 300 of his own magnificent drawings. In this, Hewett provides both a work of reference and a stimulating analysis of the evolution of the craft.
Archival and scientific research reveal the origins and purpose of the Winchester Round Table.
This collection of papers, first delivered at the BAA's annual conference in 2002, celebrates medieval Rochester, including both cathedral and castle, an outstanding pair of surviving monuments to the power of contemporary church and state. The contributions demonstrate the great interest of these understudied buildings, their furnishings, and historical and archaeological contexts: from the rich documentary evidence for the Anglo-Saxon town to the substantial surviving fabric of the 11th, 12th and 13th centuries. Shrines, monuments, woodwork and seals are all fully covered, as well as the medieval monks themselves. There is also a piece on Archbishop Courtenay's foundation of the nearby collegiate church at Maidstone, Kent.
Woodworking has been one of the most important technologies from the earliest times. Carpentry was important for buildings and bridges and as an integral part of most construction processes. The history of this subject has been explored by a variety of scholars, from archaeologists who have studied medieval timber techniques to engineers who have been interested in the development of bridges. The different studies have explored the methods of carpentry, the behaviour of the structures that were built and even the economic and social histories behind the development of carpentry techniques. This book collects together a number of papers representing this full range of scholarship as well as providing a general review of work in the field.
Communist and capitalist states alike were scarred by the economic shocks of the 1970s. Why did only communist governments fall in their wake? Fritz Bartel argues that Western democracies were insulated by neoliberalism. While austerity was fatal to the legitimacy of communism, democratic politicians could win votes by pushing market discipline.
Walter Potter (1835-1918), a country taxidermist of no great expertise, became famous as an icon of Victorian whimsy. His tiny museum in Bramber, Sussex, was crammed full of multi-legged kittens, two-headed lambs and a bewildering assortment of curios. Closed in the '70s, the museum was variously re-established before being auctioned off in 2003. It was reported that a £1M bid by Damien Hirst to keep the collection intact was refused, but in 2010 many of Potter's key pieces were exhibited by the artist Sir Peter Blake at London's 'Museum of Everything', attracting over 30,000 visitors in 6 weeks. The subsequent dispersal of Potter's works has meant the loss of a truly unique Victorian legacy. Here, perhaps for the last time, the collection is preserved and celebrated with new photographs of Potter's best-loved works.