Earth Structures

“Many parts of Britain have an earth based tradition of building. Each area has developed it’s own regional method of construction based on geology, timber availability and local preferences and traditions.

Two main types of earth based buildings are found.  These are those with solid earth walls, and those with earth covering a timber frame. ‘Cob’ is a solid wall construction of earth and chopped straw, often with stone aggregate fragments. It’s use is concentrated in the South and West of England, chiefly in Devon, Dorset and Hampshire. Variants of ‘Cob’ include ‘Colm’ in Wales, ‘Clay dabbins’ in Cumbria, ‘Wichert’ in Buckinghamshire and ‘Clay lump’ in East Anglia. Similar earth building techniques are found throughout Scotland and Ireland.

Some earth buildings utilise a timber framework and ‘Wattle and Daub’ is probably the best known technique for earth and timber framed structures. ‘Wattle and Daub’ uses panels of woven hazel or willow rods fastened to the timber frame and covered with a mud mix. In Lincolnshire, however, we have a similar but unique form of construction known as ‘Mud and Stud’"