Vernacular Architecture Group

Dendrochronology helped to push back the date of construction for many ancient buildings, sometimes by several centuries. I'll be looking at tree-ring dating on 26 Feb as part of the Reinterpreting Listed Buildings online talk:

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/reinterpre...

📸 Martin Bridge

The next Triskele Heritage online talk is Reinterpreting Listed Buildings. It looks at why buildings were listed, what conditions were like for listing investigators, why many listings were short & inaccurate, plus how new research is pushing back dating.

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/reinterpre...

Thornton Rust, Wensleydale.

'Vernacular Architecture of the Yorkshire Dales' - YVBSG day school held in conjunction with Upper Wharfedale Heritage Group on 28 Feb 2026 in Skipton Town Hall. Do join us for an excellent programme of talks exploring the wonderful traditional buildings of the Dales! www.yvbsg.org.uk/events.html

The next Triskele Heritage winter lecture is happening next week. Please do feel free to share far and wide if you can 🙂

More info and bookings can be found here:
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-mediae...

A new dating technique for historic buildings - Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre Wiltshire Buildings Record experimented with a new technique to date a building and found a surprising result.

New to the @heritagewshc.bsky.social Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre blog: A new dating technique for historic buildings.

When dendrochronology failed and carbon-14 dating didn't match what was known about certain roof truss features, another technique was tried...

#OnePlaceWednesday

Wymondley Priory, Hertfordshire.

Much Hadham, Hertfordshire.

Ugford, Wiltshire.

Do you have a research project that would benefit from extra funding? The VAG offers grants for the study and presentation of vernacular architecture and there's still time to submit an application for the current round of Research Grants! Closing date: 28 February. See www.vag.org.uk/grants.htm.

Just 2 weeks to go until the next Triskele Heritage online talk: The Mediaeval Traveller - a journey into life on the road & the observations of mediaeval wayfarers.

Takes place at 7pmGMT on Wed 28 Jan. Booking & more info, here:
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-mediae...

📸: British Library

Workshop: Researching the History of your House A hands-on workshop led by Northumberland Archives staff which will introduce the type of documents used in researching house history.

Advance notice on this #OnePlaceWednesday of a Northumberland Archives #HouseHistory Workshop, Researching the History of your House. This will take place on Wednesday March 18th from 9.30am to 11.30am GMT, at County Hall, Morpeth. Follow the link for more info and to book a free place.

50 Years of COAM

In 1976, we dismantled our first buildings: Hill Farm Barn and Rossway Granary. Today, they stand at the heart of our farm, forming the centre of our farming operations and capturing the spirit of a classic Chilterns farmstead that could have flourished anytime between 1800 & 1950

Very much enjoyed learning about the work of the Trust and it was fascinating to see how the historical maps are created - so impressive!

Historic Towns Trust | History of towns in England, Scotland and Wales The Historic Towns Trust is a charity which investigates the histories of towns in England, Scotland, and Wales, and communicates this through the publication of atlases and maps, and through educatio...

Really enjoyed presenting the work of the @historictownstrust.bsky.social and the @varchgroup.bsky.social winter conference. Great fun and lots of interest.

www.historictownstrust.uk

Really enjoyed your talk - it brought back memories of the VAG Spring Conference in Oxfordshire in 2011 and it was good to hear about some of the buildings we visited then!

Much enjoyed speaking about VCH Oxon's coverage of small towns and urban buildings at this weekend's Vernacular Architecture Group winter conference - part of a stimulating and wide-ranging programme, amidst some august company!

Copy of a slide showing buildings in Stratford-upon-Avon.

Another day of superb talks to conclude the VAG Winter Conference 2026, ranging from historical maps to medieval inns to 16th century fires in Stratford-upon-Avon. Grateful thanks to all our speakers and everyone who attended!

Copy of a slide showing Nottingham's caves.

A slightly unusual but fascinating subject for a talk at the VAG Winter Conference 2026 - the amazing caves hidden under Nottingham's buildings!

Copy of a slide showing Nottingham's vernacular buildings.

Excellent first day of the VAG Winter Conference 2026 on urban buildings with a good variety of talks covering Ruthin, Chipping Norton, Lincoln, Nottingham, Durham, Nantwich and Newcastle!

English Heritage are seeking a Building Conservation Manager

Do you have a passion for historic buildings and environments?
Do you have a strong understanding of the emerging threats and opportunities within the heritage sector?....
Find out more at ihbconline.co.uk/jobsetc/?p=1...

Wood Hall, Copley, recorded by the YVBSG in 1991.

Are you a student with an interest in historic buildings? We now offer a reduced membership fee for students - for just £8 a year, you get a copy of our annual journal, discount on events, online access to building reports, practical recording experience and more! www.yvbsg.org.uk/membership.h...

It should be working again now, James - T&F fixed the problem overnight. Give it a try and let me know if you still can't get in. Good luck with the deadline!

Well, actually, I'm having trouble too! I can't access the journal either (without paying). I've reported the issue to Taylor and Francis and hopefully they'll be able to fix it soon. Thank you @jpwarchaeology.bsky.social and @mudandstud.bsky.social for pointing it out - sorry for any inconvenience.

Snowy scene in Carlton in Coverdale, North Yorkshire.

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas, and may you find some fantastic buildings in 2026!

Outbuilding at Woodsome Hall, possibly former dovecote and forge.

Our interactive map showing all buildings recorded by the YVBSG has just been updated! The latest version includes this intriguing little outbuilding at Woodsome Hall. If you're a member, the map also gives you access to the full online reports. Browse at www.yvbsg.org.uk/reports.html.

A quick pencil sketch of buildings on a high street, with detail added to the more historic building on the left to emphasise the character of the 16th century structure.

A quick sketch of High Street, Charing, Kent with 27, 29 High Street (Sherborne House) drawn a bit more fully than the rest. This 16th building incorporated a shop with its own doorway at the left hand end. The main house was to the right.

@varchgroup.bsky.social
#pencil #drawing
#ArtShare

Pen drawing of a timber framed building with a projecting shop window with a roof supported by posts. To the left are the former shop windows, to the right is the 16th century house.

27, 29 High Street (Sherborne House), Charing, Kent. This 16th building incorporated a shop with its own doorway at the left hand end. The main house was to the right.

@varchgroup.bsky.social
#ArchitecturalIllustration
#pen #drawing
#ArtShare

The algorithms are making it a lot harder to spread the word about these online talks. Although numbers are still reasonable, it would be a great help if folk were able to give the 30 December event a quick share 🙂

Booking available here:
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/buildings-...

🕰️ Join us online on Tues, 24 Feb 2026, from 6–7 pm for a talk with Chris Skidmore on Quaker meeting house architecture. Discover how these seemingly simple buildings feature unique elements and evolving styles as Friends adopted mainstream designs.

🔗 Register: hbap.org.uk/online-talk-...

The Squatter’s Cottage at Blists Hill was built around 1830 by miner Michael Corbett on waste land. Such cottages were common in the Coalbrookdale Coalfield. They stood on unregulated commons, with families paying a 30 shilling yearly encroachment fine for up to 60 years to be allowed to stay.

Porch at Old Edge, Heptonstall.

1676 dated doorhead at Old Edge, Heptonstall, with inscription 'PEACE BE WITHIN THY GATES'.

Closer view of porch at Old Edge, Heptonstall.

#AdoorableThursday Customer: 'But it was supposed to say 'GATES' not 'GATE'. Stonemason: 'No problem - easily fixed!'. Old Edge, Colden, Heptonstall.

The courtyard at Woodsome Hall near Huddersfield.

A recording of a recent YVBSG talk by Philip Sands on the history of Woodsome Hall near Huddersfield can now be viewed at youtu.be/2PGeqLuA0jg?.... Philip takes us on a virtual tour of the building which has a complicated and fascinating history and has been dendro-dated to 1462.

Interested in a free place at the VAG Winter Conference? The topic is 'Vernacular buildings in urban contexts: the study of urban building types and integration with urban studies', 10-11 Jan 2026 in Nottingham. Bursaries are available - more info at www.vag.org.uk/conferences.....