Timber Framing Styles: Close Studding.

Cottage, Therfield, UK

Close studding is really just a British variation of the Half-Timbered technique in which vertical timbers (studs) are positioned close together, dividing the wall into much more narrow panels than usual. The studs in this style of timber framing are not structural elements of the frame, they are there purely for aesthetic reasons, to produce an impressive front that was mostly found on expensive buildings.

Church, Marton, Cheshire, UK

There are even a few examples of churches from this era that employed this half-timbered style. One of the oldest and most well preserved examples is St James' and St Paul's Church (right) in the village of Marton in Cheshire, UK.

The style appeared in England during the 13th century but didn't become common until the mid-15th century when it also became popular in France. The style remained fashionable up to the end of the 17th century.

In the beginning the studs were spaced about the same distance apart as the width of the studs. It was around the middle of the 16th century when people began making the spacing wider. The studs themselves could either span the entire height of a storey or were divided by an intermediate rail. Diagonal braces were also implemented to give the frame stability.