MarkR Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 Stampy this is for you.... My workshop site dates back to 1364, but the building I occupy now is from circa 1600. So fairly old you could say, it was a dairy up to about 1600 then became the estate carpenters shop from about 1750 and has been such from that time. My great great great grandfather purchased the farm buildings in about 1870ish and has been ours since. My grandfather was a cabinet maker so I became one too, he didn't use any of the buildings for his shop, but worked for other people. I however worked with my grandfather in his shed, and was hooked that way. I decided to start my own woodworking business 2 yrs ago, and decided to use the old carpenters shop on our farm. It consists of four rooms machine, making, finishing, and general storage(read crap) here are a few shots of it inside and out before during and after.... Thanks for looking, hope its of some interest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmykx250 Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 How cool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texfire Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 Reminds me of Eddie Izzard talking about how "old building" has entirely different meanings depending on where in the world you are. Very cool to see you using your heritage like that, talk about having a direct connection with the past. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cormier33 Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 Wow, what a beautiful building with a wonderful heritage. It will be great inspiration to you and your business! Yes, "old" in Europe is much different than what we consider "old" in North America. Old for us would be 200 years old at best in most cases! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhein68 Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 That is so cool that you still have a piece of your family history.. I wish I had my great-grandfathers shop still...Darn I wish I had pictures of it! Thanks for sharing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulMarcel Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 Love the story and the pictures. Thanks a lot for sharing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nateswoodworks Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 What an amazing feeling it must be to be working in an area with that much history. I love the feeling I get when I am using one of my hand planes that used to be my wife's grandpa, but that is nothing compared to the feeling you must get when you walk into those doors! Thanks for sharing. Nate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stampy Posted March 7, 2011 Report Share Posted March 7, 2011 Mark What a special place you have there. I live thousands of kilometers away from my family, but have in my shop several tools that were my Uncles, Grand Fathers and soon my Great grand fathers. Knowing that there hands put the patina on those tools warms my heart. They are with me in every piece I make. Much the same feeling I'm sure you get working in your shop/shrine/cathedral. Thank you for sharing Stampy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vic Posted March 7, 2011 Report Share Posted March 7, 2011 Very cool old building. It IS crazy that we consider 100 or even 200 years old for a building. When I visit Germany with my wife, I'm always amazed at the old architecture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
telliottosceola Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 Personally I think this is just amazing. Why dont we build buildings like this anymore. With all the labratory testing on building materials and the latest and greatest technology there is no way these new houses and shops will ever last 400 years! Structures for the most part these days are cheap pieces of crap if you ask me. Id love to own a building like this. Not to mention everything this building has seen over the years. Just simply amazing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkR Posted March 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 Thanks guys, it is nice to work in here, and to use all the old tools I found. It is a very solid building to say the least, and will be here in another 400yrs no problems. This is the original barn that stood on its own for 136yrs before its twin was built next door, and all our other out buildings. And the inside. This will be my house one day perhaps. If you follow this link here, you will see a birds eye view, and a street view of our farmhouse and barns, oh and geese. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stampy Posted March 11, 2011 Report Share Posted March 11, 2011 Hey Mark Is that combination of brick and stone in the wall construction common? It is really interesting. Those doors on the barn are quite tall as well. Why were they built so high? And I see that there are narrow slits in the walls. Was that for ventilation for the crop that was stored inside?? Stampy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulMarcel Posted March 11, 2011 Report Share Posted March 11, 2011 Hey Mark Is that combination of brick and stone in the wall construction common? It is really interesting. Those doors on the barn are quite tall as well. Why were they built so high? And I see that there are narrow slits in the walls. Was that for ventilation for the crop that was stored inside?? Stampy Might be murder-holes to keep people away from his tools Very nice shop, very nice area you are in! The Google Earth view looks like you are your own town with the shop furthest from the house; you could saw (or box!) all day long and not bother anybody! Seriously nice stuff. Oh, kidding aside, I'm also curious about all of Stampy's questions; that architecture looks unique. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beechwood Chip Posted March 11, 2011 Report Share Posted March 11, 2011 I've never seen that combination of brick and field-stone before, but it makes sense. You need to buy bricks, and you've got to do something the stones that you pull out of your fields. On the other hand, I imagine that making a square corner or doorway with field-stone is a pain. Besides, it's a great look! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stampy Posted March 11, 2011 Report Share Posted March 11, 2011 Well I don't know about everyone else but I vote that mark has the coolest shop. That and I think he should have us all over so we can get a full tour? Gotta be a good pub near by to I'll bet? St...hiccup...ampy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkR Posted March 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2011 The combination of brick and as you call it field stone(we call it flint) is very common in Norfolk, and in other parts of the country where flint is common. Flint has been used/mined in the Norfolk area from Neolithic times some 5000yrs ago. My brother has found in our fields numerous flint tools for farming(plough heads made from flint) and timber cutting(axe heads). The doors on the barn are so high because the hay cart when fully loaded would be very high, and that is what this barn would of been built to allow for. The windows are narrow so driving rain doesn't penetrate but still allows ventilation. The people who designed farms in days of yore, really did think about layout and as such the back of the barn where you would of kept your stock is south facing, so your animals would be warm in the winter. In fact you always know which way north, south, east, and west is by looking at old farms or churches which are laid out the same. Of course there is a Pub nearby, lots tbh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beechwood Chip Posted March 12, 2011 Report Share Posted March 12, 2011 The combination of brick and as you call it field stone(we call it flint) ... By "field stone" I didn't mean any particular type of stone, but using whatever stones you pulled our of your field, in whatever shape they happen to be. Normally if I heard "built of stone" I'd think of quarried stone that was cut into blocks and fitted with tight mortared joints, but if I heard "built of field stone" I'd think of a wall built of random shaped stones fitted together with mortar filling the spaces. I've seen all sorts of stone in field stone walls, depending on the area. This may be an Americanism, or maybe just local to the North East US. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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