Chap. XXII.

TIMBER ROOFS.

1313

In some of the ancient works oncarpentry we have designs for pri-mitive huts, with the principalscurved or set out like the pointedarch, or with the ribs of a whale soplaced that they are made to carrythe weight of the roof.

The roof is that portion of a build-ing which requires the greatest degreeof skill, and where the aid of scienceis more essential than in any other;in our primitive timber houses we ob-serve that much of their constructionbears the impress of the labour of theship-builder rather than that of thecarpenter ; in the Weald of Kent andSussex many fine timber structuresare still remaining, in which the skillof the carpenter seems borrowedfrom the mason, for the mouldingsand forms introduced are evidentlyimitations of those executed in stone

Fig. 2098.

oak is the material generally employed, and in someinstances the corner posts are 24 inches square, and in a perfectly sound state ; the roofsare generally highly decorated, the barge boards and pendants which accompany themdelicately carved, and present anendless variety of design.

Buildings are sometimes foundrudely braced by such curved ribs,and which bear a resemblance to aboat turned upwards: these ribsare occasionally made by nailing orpinning together short lengths ofthin deal, and securing the plate onwhich the roof pitches to theirsides : rafters laid with a slight pro-jection to throw off the water, anda number of purlins resting on themin a longitudinal direction, requirenothing more than the tile, slate, ormetal covering to complete theroof.

When two or more storiesare required, the same con-struction may'be made useof; the upright posts andpartitions contribute muchto the strength of the build-ing, and the curvilinearbraces extending from theground to the ridge of theroof, where they do not in-terfere with the convenienceof the apartments, are ofconsiderable service.

The timber houses inSwitzerland , which gene-rally consist of two stories,are fine examples of cheapconstruction, and whenplaced upon a basement ofmasonry, and preservedfrom the heavy rains, areas durable as if built en-tirely of stone. The roofsare flat, covered withshingles, laid with a goodlap one over the other, and

Fig 2099.

Fig. 2100.

4 r 2