Woodworking Workshop: Hewing

Learn the endangered heritage craft of hewing. The process of converting a tree into useful timber through the use of an axe. This skill was essential for ancient craftspeople, particularly in the early medieval period, to build their homes and halls. We’ll be spending the day learning about different types of wood, how to mark up a log with chalk lines and how different types of axes were used, with particular reference to Viking and Anglo Saxon tools. This will be a physical day, with the goal of producing the timber to be used on the timber framing part of the project.

This course will be ran by Marc Cox of Newhaven Coppice Ltd., Tom Gallon of Bourne Valley Timber Frames and David Wilson of High Elms Timberworks. All three have worked on a huge variety of projects across the UK and Europe; both independently and as part of the Carpenters Fellowship and Charpentiers Sans Frontiers.

This forms part of a week of woodworking dedicated to the tree-wrights, carpenters and timber framers from the past. Over the course of the week a small team will be constructing a complete timber frame from a pile of logs to a standing building. Join us for a series of hands-on workshops and public open days to celebrate all things wood.

No experience necessary, but a general level of fitness is required due to this being a very physical activity.

Tea & Coffee and refreshments provided.

Tickets

Booking is required.

Accessibility

The reconstructed buildings are accessible but feature some uneven gravel surfaces and narrow spaces that may make turning in larger electric wheelchairs difficult. Please contact us at avalon@swheritage.org.uk if you want to discuss special requirements.

More Information

Go to www.avalonarchaeology.org.uk for more details, or visit our blog the see the latest work of our dedicated volunteers at https://avalon-archaeology.com/.

For booking enquiries: avalon@swheritage.org.uk.

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