Cuts in beams.

[Ebenezer]

I stayed in a C17 inn in the Lake District recently and noticed that some of the beams had lots of small cuts in them covering the entire beam and all at the same angle. I noticed it in a couple of other old pubs in the area too anyone know what they are?

 

[Baron de Gynes]

On some of our beams, where they are flush with the surrounding panels, I believe these adze marks were added in order for the lime plaster to stick to the beams better when the whole room was plastered. Since that time, the plaster has been removed and reinstated as infill only.

Beams that were designed to be exposed (or remained exposed), such as ornate ceiling beams where plaster would be both inadvisable and undesirable, do not have these adze marks. I very much doubt that they were remnants of the craftsman's art - such beams would have been planed relatively smoothed, not gouged at.

Obviously, I wasn't there at the time the trees were felled and the wood cut, shaped and fitted into houses such as mine. However, I cannot see such rough work being permitted, even on lowly dwellings.

A final note; if I sound knowledgable about this, please bear in mind that I no absolutely nothing and all the above is pure conjecture. I may have read it. I might have heard it. I could well just have made it up. Someone qualified will be along in a while, I'm sure. :lol:

 

[Ebenezer]

That sounds like a perfectly reasonable explanation thanks. I did notice that some of the rooms had it but other rooms they were smooth.

 

[livias]

My lovely old oak bressemer beam which was definitely meant to be seen ... was hacked like this in 1960 when a builder 'modernised' the house and hacked it around to make a key before he plastered over it with sand cement render
I pulled off the render, carefully picked dregs of concrete out of the hack marks before steaming it with a wallpaper stripper to close up the timber. It looks better now but it will never be perfect

 

[livias]

Your beams have chamfers so they were meant to be seen on day 1, so I expect that they have been covered over at some intermediate date too

 

[Ebenezer]

So looks like they were hacked fairly "recently" then to be plastered over? Very interesting. These aren't actually mine I might add. They are an inn in Cumbria. My almost identical beams have no marks save a few tool marks.

 

[Penners]

Many "display" beams were vandalised in this way by the Victorians. As explained above, the adze cuts were made to allow the beams to be plastered over. Many Victorians tended to regard exposed beams as rather "peasant" features, so they wanted them hidden.

 

[CliffordPope]

Many Victorians tended to regard exposed beams as rather "peasant" features, so they wanted them hidden.

And indecent, too. Or so it is said, they way they covered up piano legs lest they reveal a daring ankle.

 

[Penners]

Well... it didn't take much to inflame yer lascivious Victorian male.

 

[Flyfisher]

Goodness know what they must have made of ships' figureheads then, such as this one on the Cutty Sark: http://www.seawitchartist.com/cuttysark-figurehead.htm

 

[angrybird]

It be cold at sea me hearties!
That poor wench has forgotten her vest :lol:

 

[Flyfisher]

It certainly looks like there's a nip in the air.

 

[Penners]

Brazen hussy!

It would never happen nowadays, would it Joce?