Got a work related technical question Im doing a study of a building undergoing conservation. There has been talk that some of the floor joists maybe old ship timbers is there a quick and easy way to indetify one from the other and is there a site out there that would help me. Otherwise its a Maritime archaeologist type, which is probably going to be the case anyway as I wouldnt like to give an opinion on something that was out of my area of expertise (call me old fashioned). But in the main I would be interested to know.
Cheers
Close enough for a country job!
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Can't give you a definite answer but should caution you that the old ship timber re-use claim is usually a myth, one bandied about by many an estate agent. Rather than look for a 'maritime archaeologist' why not get an archaeologist with experience in recording standing buildings? [:p]
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Is the building listed? The listing description may help, as might the local conservation officer. A copy of Pevsner can be handy too. I'm with Achingknees on this one - that old chestnut about "reused ships' timbers" is more often than not an old wives' tale.
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Quote:quote:Originally posted by Curator Kid
I'm with Achingknees on this one - that old chestnut about "reused ships' timbers" is more often than not an old wives' tale.
...often followed by the mention of an old tunnel that leads to the church etc etc
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Quote:quote:Originally posted by achingknees
...often followed by the mention of an old tunnel that leads to the church etc etc
That would be the tunnel with the remains inside of the dead Monk and Nun, who used to meet there for flirtatious assignations and got caught?
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If said tunnel is in the south-east, it is also almost certainly where Boudicca is buried.
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I have to say I hae been doing this a number of years and have yet to identify a ship's timber. Absolutly all buildings which contain 'ships timbers' that I have seen just have reused timbers from houses.
Major floor joists are frequently reused and this tends to involve turning the timber 90 degrees so the soffit has exposed joints.
We had a cellar turn up recently in one of the small towns which was over the road from the masonic lodge. The paper reported this as a tunnel leading from the masons to the parish church.
