We are in the process of building a round timber framed barn at Co Farm in Cambridge. The barn will be a base for teaching a variety of crafts to complement the horticultural teaching that happens at the farm already. Over a series of courses in 2025 we will build the frames for the frames for this building.

Roundwood timber framing is a low impact, ecologically sensitive and highly accesible method of building. Using timber in the round cuts out the energy intensive processes of sawing, drying and treating. We use sweet chestnut poles straight from the woods.

The first step is peeling with a drawknife.

No experience is necessary, all tools will be provided. The work is physically demanding and requires quite a bit of clambering about.

The course focuses on cutting mortise and tenon joinery using hand tools and jigs which you can make yourself. Each joint will be drilled out for draw bore pegging using an offset pricker, a process usually the preserve of square timber framing, but which adds an extra degree of tightness to the joints on a roundwood frame as well.

One of the more daunting elements of roundwood framing is cutting braces. We will hopefully demystify the process by showing you how to use the 'magic box'.

Fine adjustments with the slick.

Once we have enough frames jointed, we will raise sections of the barn as part of the course.

We will go through the process of lifting heavy timbers afely and controllably using a wooden crane and chain block.