The University of Oxford is building a classroom shelter in the grounds of Harcourt Arboretum at Nuneham Courtney, South Oxfordshire and YOU are invited to join in! The shelter will be of a traditional cruck timber-frame design. Timber of various species from the arboretum's own woodland is in the process of being milled for the project. The build will be run as a course taught by timber frame instructors Henry Russell and Barbara Czoch of the Carpenters’ Fellowship.
The build project is suitable for beginner and intermediate carpenters. Tools will be provided. Good fun and camaraderie is guaranteed; come along and learn a new skill, improve your abilities, or just spend some time in the woods getting back to nature. Building a shelter using hand & eye are fundamental life skills, and by joining in with this community project it will leave you with a sense of achievement and satisfaction, and hopefully the skills and inspiration to encourage you to build something of your own!
Part one: 6th - 10th May, repeated 13th - 17th May 2013: Walls and Cross frames.
Elements of traditional tenon and mortice joinery; the English tying joint, scarf joints, and cruck framing.
Part two: 20th - 24th May 2013: Roofing
Principal truss and purlin construction with common rafters.
Part three: 29th and 30th June 2013: Raising
All work will be done using hand tools, and there will be an opportunity to convert timbers by hand using Hewing and Pit Sawing.
The cost of each course is £375, which will include daily lunch and refreshments. There is free camping on site at Harcourt.
Further information is available from the course administrator,
Barbara Czoch: barbara@carpentersfellowship.co.uk or call 07971 629916
Now check out Cruck Timber Conversion
Post Script: August / September 2013
Brian Williamson & Ruth Goodfellow will fix oak wood shingles to the Harcourt Arboretum woodland shelter during August / September 2013.
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Cruck Timber-Framing Course
