Oxfordshire Woodland Group

I was contacted by the owner of a barn who asked if a mark found on one of his timbers related to 17th century witchcraft (apotropaic) marks.

This was not the case and I explained that this was in fact a level station used during timber layout and levelling in the original frame making process. Typically level stations feature a rectangle scribed across the face of the timber with scribed diagonals.

Because timbers are taken away from frame layouts to be repositioned and used in other frame layouts e.g. a sill used in the floor might also become part of a cross frame and therefore it becomes important to be able to set this timber up in any new layout in the correct orientation and level.

Ken Hume Exec Trustee OWG