Recommended reading
Booklist and online resources
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Introductions and overviews
Discovering Timber-framed Buildings
R. Harris, Shire Publications, 1978, latest reprint 2006. The classic introductory booklet – short (96 pages), simple, but not dumbed-down. An essential starter.
Framed Buildings of the Weald
R.T. Mason, Coach Publishing, Worthing, 1969. The seminal work for the Weald: R.T Mason played a key role in the development of the study of vernacular Wealden buildings.
Wealden Buildings; Studies in Sussex, Surrey & Kent
J. Warren (Ed.), Coach Publishing, Worthing, 1990. An excellent follow-up to R.T. Mason’s book.
How to record a standing building
This is the task that regional and local Groups like WBSG have set themeselves, but there is no accepted national handbook on what to do and how to do it. We suggest:
Recording Standing Buildings
Barbara Hutton, 1986, latest edition by British Archaeological Trust ("Rescue"), 2013. A 44-page beginner's guide to building recording.
Understanding Historic Buildings
English Heritage (now Historic England), 2006. Aimed at professionals. 40-page free PDF available.
The vocabulary of vernacular architecture
Recording Timber-framed Buildings: an Illustrated Glossary
Council for British Archaeology, 1996. An essential little book; it gives the recommended nomenclature, explains each term, and illustrates it in the assembly of which it forms part. Don't be without it.
The content of the above book is now available online from the Vernacular Architecture Group https://www.vernacularbuildingglossary.org.uk/
Surrey's Domestic Buildings Research Group (DBRG) has an Illustrated Glossary of terms available as an excellent PDF. It is also on the DBRG website pages.
Pevsner's Architectural Glossary is an excellent app (£3.99) for tablets and smartphones, based on the Pevsner hardback book which defines and illustrates general architectural terms. But it touches only slightly on vernacular terms. Perfect if you're in a church or a great house though.
County studies
There are three Kent volumes, with copious photographs and drawings, that make excellent reading for vernacular studies throughout most of the Weald:
The Medieval Houses of Kent, an historical analysis
S. Pearson, RCHME, London, 1994.
The House Within – Interpreting Medieval Houses in Kent
P.S. Barnwell and A.T. Adams, RCHME, London, 1994.
A Gazetteer of Medieval Houses in Kent
S. Pearson, P.S. Barnwell, A.T. Adams, RCHME, London, 1994.
Farm Buildings of the Weald
D. & B. Martin, Heritage Publishing, 2004.
The Development of Timber-framed Buildings in the Sussex Weald
D. Chatwin, Rudgwick Preservation Society, 1996.
Hampshire Houses 1250-1700
E. Roberts, Hampshire County Council, Winchester, rev. ed. 2012.
Historic Buildings in East Sussex
D. & B. Martin, ROHAS, Robertsbridge, 1991.
West Sussex Barns & Farm Buildings
A. Hughes with D. Johnston, Dovecote Press, 2002.
Sussex Record Society: 90 volumes, all on the shelves at The Keep and at Sussex Archaeological Society's library, and many online at Sussex Record Society
Sussex Archaeological Collections: over 150 volumes at Sussex Archaeological Society's library, searchable via SussexPast
Local studies
Charlwood, Surrey: a Weald Clay Parish History in Maps
J. Shelley, self-published, 2003.
Ditchling, East Sussex
M. Holt & M. Goodare, (Ed: A. Hughes), WBSG, Horsham, 2005.
Henfield, West Sussex
A. Hughes, , WBSG, Horsham, 2004.
Horsham Houses
A. Hughes, Phillimore, Chichester, 1986.
Contrasting Communities: Houghton & Hillgrove
A. Hughes, , Horsham, 2005.
Rye Rebuilt 1350-1660
D. & B. Martin with J. Clubb and G. Draper, the Romney Marsh Research Trust, 2009.
Sandwich - a study of the Town and Port from its origins to the 1600s
S. Pearson, H. Clarke, M. Mate, K. Parfitt, Oxbow, Oxford, 2010.
New Winchelsea, East Sussex: a Medieval Port Town
D. & B. Martin, (plus contributions), U.C. L. London, Heritage Publishing, 2004.
Medieval Hall Houses of the Winchester Area
E. Lewis et al, Winchester City Museum, 1988.
David & Barbara Martin's Publications
David & Barbara Martin have kindly provided open downloads of a number of their publications as below.
Battle | |
BUILDING BATTLE TOWN, AN ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY, 1066-1750. David & Barbara Martin and Christopher WhittickDavid & Barbara Martin and Christopher Whittick with Jane Briscoe | |
Sunday, 01 September 2024 10:01 7.5 MB 59 | Download |
Hastings | |
HASTINGS OLD TOWN. an architectural history to 1750 by David Martin, Barbara Martin and Christopher Whittick with Jane Briscoe | |
Sunday, 01 September 2024 10:02 9.86 MB 61 | Download |
Rural Early Modern | |
EARLY-MODERN HOUSING IN THE EASTERN HIGH WEALD, 1570-1750 by David Martin, Barbara Martin and Christopher Whittick with Jane Briscoe | |
Sunday, 01 September 2024 10:03 8.62 MB 57 | Download |
Rural Medieval | |
RURAL MEDIEVAL AND TRANSITIONAL HOUSING IN THEEASTERN HIGH WEALD, 1250-c1570 David Martin, Barbara Martin and Christopher Whittick with Jane Briscoe | |
Sunday, 01 September 2024 10:05 8.04 MB 56 | Download |
Medieval Villages 1 | |
MEDIEVAL VILLAGES IN THE EASTERN HIGH WEALD, 1250-1750 by David Martin, Barbara Martin and Christopher Whittick with Mark Gardiner and Jane Briscoe | |
Sunday, 01 September 2024 10:06 7.96 MB 54 | Download |
Medieval Villages 2a | |
MEDIEVAL VILLAGES IN THE EASTERN HIGH WEALD, 1250-1750 by David Martin, Barbara Martin and Christopher Whittick with Mark Gardiner and Jane Briscoe | |
Sunday, 01 September 2024 10:07 8 MB 52 | Download |
Medieval Villages 2b | |
MEDIEVAL VILLAGES IN THE EASTERN HIGH WEALD, 1250-1750 by David Martin, Barbara Martin and Christopher Whittick with Mark Gardiner and Jane Briscoe | |
Sunday, 01 September 2024 10:07 6.17 MB 51 | Download |
Interior features
Period House Fixtures and Fittings 1300-1900
Linda Hall, Countryside Books, first published 2005.
Landscape studies
Rethinking the Early Medieval Settlement of Woodlands: evidence from the Western Sussex Weald
D. Chatwin and M. Gardiner, Landscape History Vol. 27, 2005.
An Historical Atlas of Sussex
Edited by K. Leslie and B. Short, Phillimore, 1999.
An Historical Atlas of Kent
Edited by Terence Lawson and David Killingray, Phillimore, 2004.
Vernacular Architecture Group
The Vernacular Architecture Group is the national body for serious students, offering conferences, a Newsletter and annual journal.
Further reading
You can download the 6-page list of WBSG's Library. All the books are available on free loan to members:
WBSG lending library March 2023 | |
Monday, 11 January 2016 18:39 71 KB 3,720 | Download |