Hammerbeam roof
|
The older part of St Edmundsbury Cathedral has a mediaeval hammerbeam roof ornamented with figures of 30 angels. The roof is boldly painted and gilded; the figures on the hammerbeams were painted in 1948, whilst the rest of the roof was coloured in 1982. Decorating the ceiling in this way was used to link the nave with the modern extension. |
Pevsner’s Architectural Glossary (second edition) was published by Yale University Press in 2018. It defines a hammerbeam roof (or hammer-beam roof) as a structure with: ‘horizontal brackets projecting at the wall-plate level like an interrupted tie beam; the inner ends carry hammerposts, which are vertical timbers that support a purlin (or horizontal longitudinal timber) and are braced to a collar-beam above.’
Primarily used as a type of roofing support, a hammerbeam roof permits the support structure to extend beyond the length of the original piece of timber. This method may be more time consuming to construct, but it can be less expensive since it does not require long pieces of timber.
However, a hammerbeam roof is not considered a true truss, since it uses a method that rests one support beam inward and on top of the other. In this sense, it is similar to a corbel.
Tie beams are typically put in place to support this method of construction. The short pieces of timber that project from the wall and serve to anchor the tie beams are sometimes referred to as hammer-beams.
Hammerbeam roofs are often highly decorated. This technique was widely used during the English Gothic architecture period.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
Featured articles and news
Do you take the lead in a circular construction economy?
Help us develop and expand this wiki as a resource for academia and industry alike.
Warm Homes Plan Workforce Taskforce
Risks of undermining UK’s energy transition due to lack of electrotechnical industry representation, says ECA.
Cost Optimal Domestic Electrification CODE
Modelling retrofits only on costs that directly impact the consumer: upfront cost of equipment, energy costs and maintenance costs.
The Warm Homes Plan details released
What's new and what is not, with industry reactions.
Could AI and VR cause an increase the value of heritage?
The Orange book: 2026 Amendment 4 to BS 7671:2018
ECA welcomes IET and BSI content sign off.
How neural technologies could transform the design future
Enhancing legacy parametric engines, offering novel ways to explore solutions and generate geometry.
Key AI related terms to be aware of
With explanations from the UK government and other bodies.
From QS to further education teacher
Applying real world skills with the next generation.
A guide on how children can use LEGO to mirror real engineering processes.
Data infrastructure for next-generation materials science
Research Data Express to automate data processing and create AI-ready datasets for materials research.
Wired for the Future with ECA; powering skills and progress
ECA South Wales Business Day 2025, a day to remember.
AI for the conservation professional
A level of sophistication previously reserved for science fiction.
Biomass harvested in cycles of less than ten years.
An interview with the new CIAT President
Usman Yaqub BSc (Hons) PCIAT MFPWS.
Cost benefit model report of building safety regime in Wales
Proposed policy option costs for design and construction stage of the new building safety regime in Wales.
Do you receive our free biweekly newsletter?
If not you can sign up to receive it in your mailbox here.