TrustNews Dec 22

Hammer beams roofs -

Westminster Hall and William Wykeham

Keith Leaman on how architecture and history interact

 

 

While viewing the Queen's lying in state in Westminster Hall, the commentator talked about this impressive space, covering half an acre, its hammer beam roof trusses, created to span the area, weighing a total of 700 tons. This started me thinking about this spectacular building and the achievement of those involved in designing such a project. The hall was ordered by Richard II, and was part of the Westminster Palace, completed in 1399.

 

There was a precedent for such a roof design, and interestingly it is in Winchester where the earliest such roof truss arrangement can be found - in Pilgrims Hall (1310), at that time part of the Priory. The Clerk to the Royal Estates at that time was William of Wykeham, who as he was also Bishop of Winchester, would surely have known the significance of the Pilgrims Hall's hammer beams. These may have influenced the thinking behind the Westminster Hall, bearing in mind that was the next known example of hammer beam construction.

 

 

During the following century, hammer beam design evolved and became more and more flamboyant, culminating in double hammer beam truss construction. An example of this is the striking double roof trusses at Middle Temple Hall, built between 1562 and 1572.

 

 

Hammer beam construction is an example of engineering in timber and is created by forming compound beams out of short but strong pieces of timber to span a space wall to wall. This is unlike, for example, the Great Hall roof in Winchester Castle, which is spanned by a series of arched tie beam trusses requiring columns, with the hall widened by adding side aisles.

 

It is fascinating to attempt to try and understand the background of William of Wykeham's time, which is from 1324-1404. This meant he witnessed both the first plague of 1350, when 40 per cent of the population died, and the second plague of 1361, when 20 per cent of the population died. This is known to have decimated the pool of craftsmen.

 

His appointment in 1356 as Clerk of Works to the Royal Estate meant overseeing building work to many great buildings. The lack of craftsmen must surely have stretched his ability to deliver projects. This, coupled with satisfying the demands of kings, makes one realise he must have had amazing organisational ability as well as diplomatic skills. His career culminated in delivering Westminster Hall, with its vast space covered over with that spectacular hammer beam roofscape.