A Short History of Traditional Timber Framing

This article was originally written in 2017 for the booklet of our first Timber Framing Course, it has been updated and revised in 2026.

The history of humans joining logs or timbers together is a long one, it is a global phenomenon, appearing in many places and cultures at similar times. The very earliest archaeological evidence of joining 2 logs together with a notch appears in Zambia dating back nearly 500 million years! Around 7,000 years ago there is evidence of timber mortice and tenon joints being used in several places including Europe’s Altscherbitz well and the Hemudu culture in China's Zhejiang Province. 

4600 - 2000 years ago ​

Ancient stone structures, such as Stonehenge in 2600 - 2400BC, employed joinery details similar to today’s timber framing wood structures. Note the tenon on this upright stone. 

At a similar time ancient civilizations across Egypt (Khufu ship), the Mediterranean (including the Phoenicians) and Asia (including Chinese) used these techniques for ship building and furniture making as well as construction. 
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In India, there are still examples today in the Karla Caves of timber frame construction dating back to 160 B.C. where teak timbers were shaped and connected with simple joinery and bamboo pegs. 

The House of Opus, in Italy, is a building which was preserved under volcanic ash at Herculaneum after Mount Vesuvius erupted in AD79. This is one of the oldest known examples of a timber framed building still standing and is similar to the half timber style well known in Europe. 

    

Asia

Jokhang Temple, the spiritual centre of Tibet, is a four storey monastery with parts of the building dating back to the 7th century. A centre of Buddhism, it boasts a fusion of different architectural and building styles from Han, Tibet, India and Nepal which have been added to over the years thanks to different cultural influences.

Japanese master carpenters first built the Hōryū-jiTemple in 607. After it was hit by lightning and burnt to the ground in 670, it was rebuilt, parts of it have been dismantled and repaired at least 3 times over the 1300 years. 

        

United Kingdom and Europe

By the Middle Ages these techniques were becoming more developed and refined and, in Europe between the 9th and 12th Centuries, traditional timber framing was reaching its pinnacle of craftsmanship. British master craftsmen were constructing buildings like Westminster Hall, this is a photo of the Hall’s stunning Hammerbeam Roof which dates back to the late 1300’s. 

Some examples of 16th century timber frame buildings in Europe, including the town hall of Wernigerode, Germany, and homes in Rennes, France. The majority of these buildings used wattle and daub infill: thin horizontal woven wattles with daub made from a mixture of dung, mud, sand and straw that was pressed into the wattles.

   

This granary at Weald and Downland Living Museum, UK was built in the 1730s. The majority of the structural timber frame is elm, but oak was also used, it is infilled with brick and has a thatched roof. To protect the grain from damp and vermin the building is up off the ground on sixteen stone staddles. ​

     

Aotearoa/ New Zealand

In 1700s Aotearoa, in Kohika in the Ngāti Awa rohe, Māori started using a wooden frame construction technique called mīmiro. “Māori … were effectively using carving to notch in, to make these sort of mortise and tenon joints, timbers could be interlocked without fixing, … [unfortunately] that practice has become increasingly endangered.” Professor Anthony Hoete. ​

Tane Whirinaki, constructed with a technique known as mīmiro (post-tensioning). ​

In the 1840s and 1850s iron nails were rare so settlers secured their frames with special joints and wooden pegs or tree nails. The most common jointing methods were the mortise and tenon, as well as dovetail joints.

    

What is our Legacy?

All around the world these ancient techniques have sheltered ​and housed people, created safety and a place to contemplate this human existence.

How do we want to be remembered?
What will people in 500 or 1000 years say about our building techniques?
Will your new home still be standing? ​

As you can see through the ages, traditional timber framing is extremely versatile, providing the super structure to hold many different infill materials from wattle and daub and adobe, to brick and stone. Nowadays, as well as the traditional infills of strawbale, earth, hemp, timber, brick or stone, we can use SIPs panels (Structurally Integrated Panels) which considerably speed up the process of making the building watertight. What would be your choice of infill?

Traditional timber framing has a long history and proven track record of intergenerational structures - why not investigate building one with us today to
create your legacy: 

a truly sustainable structure that stands the test of time.

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