On Wednesday 16th November, we held our topping out ceremony at Henwick View phase 1 in Thatcham, marking the completion of the timber frame.
This is an age-old builders ritual, where a tree or leafy branch is placed on the topmost beam, often with flags and streamers tied to it. This happens when the last beam is placed on the top of a structure during its construction, and can be traced back to ancient Scandinavia. They believed that the religious act of placing a tree on the top of a new building would appease tree-dwelling spirits that had been displaced.
The tradition follows that a toast is drunk next to the tree, so in keeping with the custom we naturally obliged.
Whilst the use of timber in construction is age-old, the benefits of using a timber frame in a modern world is second to none. A timber frame is environmentally excellent, as it is thermally efficient, provides good sound-proofing and is sustainable. The manufacturer we used for this new build timber frame was Merronbrook.
The timber frames certainly help with the distinctive architecture and provide a unique character to this development. To find out more click here
