Resources
Welcome to our Resources Page. This includes links to Zoom talks hosted by the CVBG YouTube channel and details of books on vernacular buildings and traditions in Cumbria as well as links to other organisations you may find useful.
Zoom Talks
2024
2024 Zoom Talks
February 2024: ‘A history of the Lyvennet valley and its vernacular buildings’ with Paul Lewis: https://youtu.be/n0uNAfPDPeE
2023
2023 Zoom talks
February 2023: ‘Cragg Farm, Eskdale’ with Paul Lewis: https://youtu.be/XkF5ZH8XVS4
March 2023: ‘Review of national VAG conference, Cumbria, 2015’ with June Hall: https://youtu.be/FNC9Wz7BxPM
October 2023: ‘Vernacular features in the Westmorland Dales’ with Hannah Kingsbury: (Westmorland Dales Partnership) https://youtu.be/Rh2mr7GuubY
2022
2022 Zoom talks
March 2022: ‘Wretched huts and despicable hovels’ with Niall Logan: https://youtu.be/6SY0EZUp-ik
April 2022: ‘Clay Dabbins, old and new’ by Peter Messenger: https://youtu.be/U1E30k7MJlE
June 2022: ‘Fallen Yew, Underbarrow, Kendal’, with Dan Elsworth: https://youtu.be/cudS_Rss-Pc
May 2022: ‘Vernacular buildings of Ulster Folk Museum’ with John McDowell: https://youtu.be/QUtnrl9Wqvs
August 2022: ‘Harby Brow Tower, Wigton’ by Paul Lewis: https://youtu.be/k-W-bOWd-zs
September 2022: ‘Ona Ash, a cruck built thatched house of 1695, near Kirkoswald’ with Andrew Carter: https://youtu.be/ggbZBpPO9Ss
October 2022: ‘Ships timbers ahoy! How to recognise re-used timbers’ with David Cant: https://youtu.be/wLKDPCTMWAk
December 2022: ‘Around Cumbria, a celebration of vernacular buildings’ by June Hill: https://youtu.be/6JOXmDVgf74
Useful Books
Clicking on the links embedded in the book references will send you to bookseller’s web pages. Feel free to shop around if you want to buy copies, otherwise, most will available at local libraries.
Books Cumbria website specialises in books on Cumbrian and Lake District history and architecture as well as maps, travel guides etc.
Brunskill, R. W. 2002. Traditional Buildings of Cumbria. London, Cassell Publishing.
Brunskill, R. W. 1978. Vernacular Architecture of the Lake Counties: A Field Handbook. London: Faber and Faber.
Brunskill, R. W. 1985. Traditional Buildings of Britain: Introduction to Vernacular Architecture. London: Gollancz Ltd.
Denyer, S. 1991. Traditional Buildings and Life in the Lake District. London: Gollancz and National Trust.
Hyde, M. & Pevsner, N. 2010 (1967). The Buildings of England: Cumbria: Cumberland Westmorland and Furness. London: Yale University Press.
Jennings, N. 2003. Clay Dabbins: Vernacular Buildings of the Solway Plain. Cumberland and Westmorland Archaeological and Antiquarian Society.
Jessop, L., Whitfield, M. & Davison, A. 2013. Alston Moor, Cumbria: Buildings in a North Pennine Landscape. Swindon: English Heritage.
Johnson, M. 2012. English Houses 1300-1800: Vernacular Architecture, Social Life. Harlow: Pearson Education Ltd.
Hunt, R & Suhr, M. 2008. The Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair London: Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings & Frances Lincoln Press.
Organisations and Online Resources
Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society celebrated their 150th anniversary in 2016. All CWAAS Transactions are available digitally and as a searchable index, and contain many building surveys and historical research into Cumbrian vernacular buildings
Cumbria Archive Service and CASCAT the searchable online catalogue
Vernacular Architecture Group. An international organisation for all those interested in lesser traditional buildings.
Building Archaeology Research Database (BARD)contains a searchable database of over 1500 tree-ring dated buildings (mainly in England), together with summaries of the key features of timber framing and typical date-ranges of specfic building features
North East Vernacular Architecture Group NEVAG operates within the historic counties of Northumberland and Durham, as well as those areas south of the Tees, formerly in North Yorkshire, now within the North East region of England.
Yorkshire Vernacular Buildings Group. Recording guidelines, Yorkshire events and loads more books and web links to useful organisations and online resources.
Scottish Vernacular Buildings Working Group Publications, events and research on the vernacular buildings of Scotland.
British Listed Buildings, an online database of buildings and structures that are listed as being of special architectural and historic interest.
Historic England Listed Buildings legislation help for homeowners and Heritage at Risk Register.
Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings SPAB offers building conservation courses, advice for homeowners and specialist conservation information for professionals.
Pastscape, a searchable online English Heritage catalogue of Britain’s archaeology and architecture including photographs and publications.
Building Conservation Directory Information resources for buildings conservation.
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