English medieval timber roof system used when a long span was needed.
Not a true truss, the construction is similar to corbeled masonry (&see; corbel) in that each set of beams steps upward (and inward) by resting on the ones below by means of curved braces and struts. The roof of Richard II's Westminster Hall in London (1402), with a 70-ft (21-m) span, is an excellent example.
This is the complete article, containing 67 words
(approx. 1 page at 300 words per page).
View More Summaries on Hammerbeam roof
