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Mills and tithe barns, cathedrals and crown posts. This year's UK tour was a whirlwind of activity, and, of course, we didn't see all of what we wanted to. Here is a glimpse of some of the highlights: Outside of the 12th century Boxley Barn that we viewed in Kent first after landing at Gatwick airport, we spent all of our time in Essex and Suffolk crossing the border daily. This was the area of England settled first by the Saxons and Normans, and hence was the wealthiest for many centuries. This was reflected in the close studding and ubiquitous crown-post roofs, as well as Guildhalls in many of the towns. Last year's tour of Wales revealed many more of the more utilitarian cruck frames. As we got closer to the North Sea coast we saw more and more windmills and tide mills. Frame 2004, the annual meeting of the UK Carpenters Fellowship, was held at the fantastic barns of Cressing Temple, built by the Knights Templar 800 years ago near Braintree. We saw grand cathedrals and many smaller churches, some of which turned out to be the oldest buildings we saw. The wealth of the area (much of it a result of the wool trade) was displayed in the hammerbeam roofs that were common. Merchant Guilds were as prevalent as trade Guilds. Michele and I stayed on for a few days to tour Yorkshire with Isobel Barnden and see a couple of favorites on my personal agenda that we couldn't fit into the tour. One was the Ely cathedral and its octagonal lantern, one of the most astonishing pieces of timber frame engineering in the world. The original spire collapsed in the 16th century during a storm, and the architect chosen to rebuild it decided to vault from the next set of eight posts back from original four that supported the spire, resulting in a 60 foot diameter octagon supported by 60 foot posts. I recommend this as a must see to any visit to England. We also visited the city of York, and were told we could not visit the Chapter house roof of York Minster without an appointment. I had seen this described (along with the Ely octagon) in Cecil Hewitt's English Historic Carpentry. After a bit of talking our way into the right office, a secretary contacted John David, the master mason, who agreed to take us around. We were honored: here was a man who had worked all 24 years of his professional life (he was in his early 40's) on this one project, and it was if he had stepped out of the Middle Ages with the traditions of the centuries in his tool bag. He showed us the trasseurs, or layout floors where the drawings of the medieval masons could still be seen; then he took us up into the soaring timber frame of the Chapterhouse roof. After a trip across the Yorkshire moors to the coastal town of Whitby (where Bram Stocker wrote Dracula) we drove back to London and headed home. Here's a tip for travelers: try out the youth hostels as an inexpensive place to stay. We stayed in a number of them for less than $20 per person (a real bargain in Britain), and they were often in some of the most spectacular locations, next to an abbey ruin or a park. There is no age limit, and although you may have to share a bath, we always had our own room. Thanks to those who participated in and supported the UK Tour, namely Michael and Julie Burrey, Bob and Cherie Reimels, Pret Woodburn, Ed Morrah, Jim Kricker, Colin Cabot, Steve Miller, Tammis Donaldson, Mark Miller, our excellent guide John Russell, our hosts at Frame 2004 Rick Lewis, Nigel Challis and William Clement Smith, and all of the folks who opened up their shops, churches and homes to let us prowl around. Finally, congratulations to Norm Guiver, TFG member and newly elected chairman of the UK Carpenters Fellowship.
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