Cruck Buildings

“A technique making use of curved posts. . . existed in the thirteenth century both locally and within thirty miles to the East and West. It is therefore understandable that, before the end of the century, the wealthier tenants of Harwell … might build timber-framed houses, incorporating both cruck and base-cruck trusses, and that the Reeve in Harwell in 1311 should be named Reginald atte Cruck.”

The following buildings in Harwell contain crucks:

Church Lane

Dell Cottage 1425 ± 50 years
Le Carillon (now Church Farm) 1430 ± 60 years
Lockton’s Farm (outhouse) 1325 ± 50 years

Wellshead Lane

Holywell Cottage
H.S. Baker’s 1265 ± 40 years

Jennings Lane

School House 1525 ± 40 years

Townsend

Pomander House

High Street

Drewett’s shop (demolished)

Figure 2.7 Dell Cottage and Figure 2.8 Close Cottage.

Figure 2.9 Pomander House.

Figure 2.10 Miss Drewett’s shop, demolished in 1963.