HALL HOUSES by A. Michael Mennim

MANY HOUSES IN Medieval England were hall houses. From humble peasant's cottages to affluent bishop's palaces the same plan-form predominated. In its sophisticated form it consisted of an entrance 'screens passage' with an Upper end at one side and a Lower end at the other. The Upper end contained the hall, the parlour and a first floor solar whilst the Lower end contained a pantry, a buttery and a passage to a kitchen. It was an asymmetrical plan perfectly reflecting the hierarchical division of society in the Middle Ages. Although fantastic efforts were made, it was virtually impossible to make it conform to the symmetrical demands of the Renaissance. Consequently the plan was lost, but its influence has remained and many original examples still exist, although hidden.

This book traces the remarkable saga from possible derivatives as long ago as 3000 BC in Orkney, through the great flourishing period between 1350-1500, and a gradual demise. Chapters deal with all aspects of hall houses including historical, geographical, social, chronological, types, accommodation, timber framing, structural details, finishes, furnishings, external works, finances, the building process, and conservation. There is also an extensive bibliography. 

MICHAEL MENNIM is an architect and Honorary Fellow of Wolfson College, Cambridge, which he designed. He was the senior partner in his private practice in York and has cared for many historic buildings including St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, Orkney. He carried out various contracts for the Diocese of York and the Landmark Trust and was a part-time lecturer on Building Conservation at the University of York. 

296 Pages