History 

Timber frame house building dates from earliest times.  Timber was the dominant building material in Europe since the beginning of civilisation and there are many old timber frame buildings across the world still in use today.

The Golden Hall in Ikaruga, Japan was built over 1400 years ago and in the UK the stave church at Greenstead in Essex dates from the 11th/12th century. There are also many examples of timber outbuildings that are 1000 or more years old.

In Norway, there are still around 30 examples of the famous stave churches built in the 12th and 13th centuries.  The Urnes stave church, built in Sogn og Fjordane County around 1150 is the country's oldest.

There are many timber frame buildings - and even historic town centres - around 600 years.  In fact,  it is estimated that ninety percent of buildings that have survived since before 1600, are timber frame.

In England, the familiar picture postcard Tudor houses with their black and white striped appearance are all timber frame.  In Scotland, timber frame building is ubiquitous and takes a huge variety of forms influenced by regional building styles and, of course, prevailing weather conditions.