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constructionhist.bsky.social
Construction History Society
@constructionhist.bsky.social
2.1K followers 400 following 340 posts
Construction history worldwide. Materials, technologies, systems and people relating to construction in the past. Journal, members' magazine, conferences etc
To get a follow-back tell us your construction interests.

https://www.constructionhistory.co.uk
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constructionhist.bsky.social
Construction History Society @constructionhist.bsky.social · Nov 16
The Construction Historian is delighted that so many of our mutuals on here are architects / architectural historians....
BUT...
Construction history is NOT the same as architectural history. Appearance isn't everything!
We are interested in how structures (incl buildings) were built, by whom & why.
What techniques did their builders employ? What materials were used? How much did they cost? What lessons can be learnt from them?
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jamestaite.bsky.social
Buttress weatherings in carpenter gothic:

St. Peter – St. John, Baddeck NS; board and batten skin is continuous, without drip

St. Mary’s, Mabou NS; shingled cladding maintained, but a drip expressed

St. John’s, Lunenburg NS; lapped boards with drip, contrasting with shingled cladding
January 16, 2026 at 9:50 PM
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isokongallery.bsky.social
Housing projects in Ivry-sur-Seine and the Paris suburbs, the work of Renée Gailhoustet, are the subject of a new exhibition at the Architectural Association (16 Jan - 21 March 2026), reviewed here: www.worldofinteriors.com/story/renee-...
January 17, 2026 at 8:38 AM
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willwyeth.bsky.social
Fun new find: a 1549-50 list of repairs at Chester Castle records the name of the best-surviving tower (‘Julius Cesares Tower’) on site today. C19 records call it smthg similar.

I’d assumed the tower’s modern name, Agricola T, was a recent coining. The name’s actually over 450 yrs old!
Detailed view of TNA, E 314/66/25, with yellow highlight over word ‘Julius Cesares Tower.’ View of London, TNA, E 314/66/25: repairs to Chester Castle, 1549-50. Photograph of the north side of the inner ward at Chester Castle. On the right is a tall medieval gatehouse of red stone: the Agricola Tower.
January 17, 2026 at 9:25 AM
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petesavin.bsky.social
A montage of the Uncovering Roman Carlisle excavations. The site of the 3rd century building is so large and complex its has required many investigations since 2017 and the story continues, a new exhibition opens soon at Tullie House Museum #Carlisle #diggingforbritain #Archaeology
January 17, 2026 at 8:47 AM
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darrenmcleanuk.bsky.social
I was just asked what this brick bond is called, but I'm not sure. It's from East Anglia, and is commonly seen used for garden walls.

Suggestions?
A Garden boundary wall of brick in a loosely woven pattern
January 14, 2026 at 4:17 PM
constructionhist.bsky.social
12th Annual CHS Conference Call for Abstracts: Queens’ College, Cambridge, 25-27th Sept 2026
1st day theme: Building Practice: regulation, corruption, & adaptation. 2nd day: general.
The proceedings will be published & available at the conference.
www.constructionhistory.co.uk/wp-content/u...
www.constructionhistory.co.uk
January 14, 2026 at 12:05 PM
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chppc.bsky.social
New year - new #history experiences and discovery! Join us for one of our new @ihr.bsky.social Discovery Courses. Learning, enrichment and inspiration - all welcome! 2 days teaching + 1 optional add-on day of guided research time @ihrlibrary.bsky.social. Info: www.history.ac.uk/study-traini...
Three Discovery Courses on Historic Maps: Interpreting Stories of Place Townscape and Architecture in History Archaeology for Local History: Living in a Material World https://www.history.ac.uk/study-training/research-training-short-courses
January 7, 2026 at 3:12 PM
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adamchapman.bsky.social
'Official' castle? I'm intrigued about definitions and their value at the best of times, and I have only had one cup of tea this morning so this is not yet one of those.

Looking forward to the citation here.
nationaltrust.org.uk National Trust @nationaltrust.org.uk · 9d
Did you know that Castle Drogo was the last *official* castle to be built in England?

It was built on Dartmoor between 1911 and 1932, making it the most modern castle in England.
Exterior view of a stone built castle. It has a central tower with a flag pole. The sky behind is blue A roof arrow slit in the battlements at Castle Drogo Looking across the countryside from a high point of Castle Drogo, Devon. We can see the side of the building including an arrow slit, as well as the view towards Dartmoor
January 11, 2026 at 8:09 AM
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westcountrymodern.bsky.social
In last week's newsletter I mentioned an exhibition in Bristol.

The lovely people @themodernist.bsky.social are offering a guided tour in Feb. Extremely limited places. More details here: the-modernist.org/products/bau...
January 12, 2026 at 9:09 AM
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paulsuttonking.bsky.social
Happy new year from the emporium! Probably impossible unless someone is familiar with the scene or another image exists. Foundation stone laying, the vicar is present so a chapel maybe. Is it #Cannock there’s a factory chimney, brickworks? No much to go on here. Mystery #postcard Monday.
January 12, 2026 at 9:40 AM
constructionhist.bsky.social
youtu.be/oMDa40BR-5s?...
The Knowledge of Carpenters from the Early Medieval Period to the Eighteenth Century...
YouTube video by British Archaeological Association
youtu.be
January 10, 2026 at 1:06 PM
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stelingard.bsky.social
Part of the 'golden mile' section of the GWR at #Coalbrookdale (1862-64), so called because of the colossal cost of building an elevated railway on a sloping curve, over a large pool, larger works & around. It is quite a sight. #WallsOnWednesday #IndustrialHeritage #Shropshire
📷 My own
A large brick arched viaduct with other partly demolished brick structures beneath and in front of the arches. It is quite a confusing scene. It is a grey day, with black and various shades of brown and red brick. A large brick arched viaduct with other partly demolished brick structures beneath and in front of the arches. It is quite a confusing scene. It is a grey day, with black and various shades of brown and red brick.
January 7, 2026 at 9:23 AM
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petesavin.bsky.social
It’s worth a 5 minute walk west of the village car park in #Corbridge to see the Roman bridge stones which carried Dere Street over the river Tyne. The stones have been moved from their excavation site to better protect and display then.
#HadriansWall #archaeology
January 7, 2026 at 5:19 PM
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stelingard.bsky.social
Surviving foundations for the granaries at #RIbchester Roman Fort, #Lancashire. The central stones supported a raised floor intended to help keep the grain dry. There is evidence that the buildings were burned when the Romans abandoned the fort. #RomanFortThursday #RomanBritain
📷 my own, 2024
Low stone walls bounded by a modern retaining wall with a fence on top. A path runs down the far side, beyond the fence, with a hedge beyond that. The dominant colours are greens and browns. The photo was taken from the edge of St. Wilfrid's Church graveyard.
January 8, 2026 at 11:18 AM
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drrgst.bsky.social
#Please #Subscribe Discovering A Village that Never Was: Forbesville Village
youtu.be/ZkzpGVh_kME?... @workingclasshistory.com @openculture.bsky.social @railmag.bsky.social @constructionhist.bsky.social
#Discovering A Village that Never Was: Forbesville Village #history #discover #ruins #explore
YouTube video by The Cultural Historian: Dr RGST
youtu.be
January 1, 2026 at 3:29 PM
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davidrotenstein.bsky.social
My latest column for the Western Pennsylvania History magazine is out. It's all about the John Eichleay Co. barge- and boat-building business. Did you know the Pittsburgh company best known for moving large buildings also produced some of the nation's best-known showboats? 🗃️
Backstory column screenshot: "The Eichleay Company's Barges, Showboats and Pleasure Scows."
December 26, 2025 at 2:18 PM
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jamestaite.bsky.social
Love this control joint
December 26, 2025 at 3:03 PM
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pavementgeology.bsky.social
#Urbangeology Christmas Quiz! Can you guess where I am in the UK from the stone below? (I know there are a few of you who will get this immediately!)
Apologies, but this is a visual quiz so I don’t want to give anything away here, except that this is a photo of stonework. Apologies, but this is a visual quiz so I don’t want to give anything away here, except that this is a photo of stonework. Apologies, but this is a visual quiz so I don’t want to give anything away here, except that this is a photo of stonework. Apologies, but this is a visual quiz so I don’t want to give anything away here, except that this is a photo of stonework.
December 24, 2025 at 11:21 AM
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lccmunicipal.bsky.social
It’s Kingston, on the night of Saturday 8th April 1989, and the new footbridge linking the Bentalls car park with the future new store and Bentall Centre is carefully winched into place having travelled down the Rhine, over the North Sea and up the Thames after a 700 mile journey from Heilbronn!
The cover of the Surrey Comet from 14 April 1989. The headline is: BRIDGE IS 'HOME' AFTER ITS 700-MILE ODYSSEY! Set in place with military precision. The page includes pictures that are featured in the other images in this post. The article text is too long to replicate, but some snippets include: Lit from all angles by banks of floodlights, the 115-foot long pedestrian link bridge had finally come to the end of its momentous 700-mile journey from Heilbronn in West Germany to Wood Street in Kingston. Shortly before 4am the huge cables supporting the 52-tonne glass panelled walkway went slack and the concrete supports on either side of Wood Street look the full strain. It was built in Heilbronn-just north of Stuttgart-by Helmut Fischer, and began its voyage from West Germany on March 22. It went through Heidelberg along the River Neckar, joined the Rhine at Mannheim, continued north through Koblenz and Cologne, and on to a sea coaster for its trip across the North Sea from Rotterdam. It entered the Thames Estuary, was transferred to a barge at Erith and chugged sedately up the river, carefully navigating Teddington Lock and the footbridge. It reached Kingston on April 7. On the evening of Saturday, April 8, once the stores had shut for the weekend, it was unloaded on the Thameside jetty and was manoeuvred for six hours along the riverbank, up Vicarage Road (a very tight corner) and along to the Wood Street junction. A map showing the 700 mile route taken by the bridge, which travelled from Heilbronn in West Germany. It left Heilbronn on 22nd March and arrived in Kingston on 7th April. A photo captioned: Moored up beside the railway bridge at Thameside, Kingston (above), waiting for tranportation up Vicarage Road. The bridge had arrived by barge up the Thames and sat beside the river bank before being transported up to Wood Street to be installed. The old Kingston Power Station can be seen in the background. Two photos of the bridge being winched into place. The captions are: Top photo: Floodlit from all angles, the giant pedestrian bridge is swung into place at 3.30am Bottom photo: Amid all the hi-tech lifting gear, workmen used ropes to swing the tunnel around.
December 24, 2025 at 12:03 PM
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deswalsh.bsky.social
Pitfield Street, London N1

Bubble Bobble character tile mosaic on round building corner

#reference #materialreference
Bubble Bobble character tile mosaic on round building corner
December 19, 2025 at 2:45 PM
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susanklaiber.bsky.social
With North American publication coming in two months, I gathered the cover blurb, some photos, and the TOC from our Bernini's Architectural Drawings in a blog post.

Check it out! #architecture #historiography #earlymodern #art

susanklaiber.wordpress.com/2025/12/19/n...
Open title page spread of Tod A. Marder, editor, Bernini's Architectural Drawings. On the left page, text reads "Publications of the Bibliotheca Hertziana - Max Planck Institute for Art History / Edited by Tanja Michalsky and Tristan Weddigen / Managing Editor Marieke von Bernstorff / Editorial Assistant Caterina Scholl" The bottom corner of the left page bears the Bibliotheca Hertziana logo. The right page, text reads, "Bernini's Architectural Drawings. Volume 1. An Extended Edition of Brauer and Wittkower's Catalogue of 1931 by Tod A. Marder with English Translation of the German Texts by Susan Klaiber. In collaboration with Alina Aggujaro, Maria Grazia D’Amelio, Daniela del Pesco, Tobias Glitsch, Manuela Gobbi, Susan Klaiber, Giuseppe Marotta, Sarah McPhee, Gabriella Pace, Sebastiano Roberto, Julia Triolo, and Patricia Waddy." The logo of the publisher, Hirmer, appears in the lower right corner.
December 20, 2025 at 7:45 AM
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mark-walters.bsky.social
The 1861 magazine for the earlier fog gun at North Stack fog station and the later 1895 electric fog siren that used a bank of 35 Tannoy Triple Frequency speakers that could send a chord siren over 6 nautical miles. It was disused in 1986.
December 18, 2025 at 3:33 PM
constructionhist.bsky.social
For ALL your Scottish Brick history needs see Mark Cranston's amazing website catalogue: www.scottishbrickhistory.co.uk
December 18, 2025 at 6:37 PM
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jpwarchaeology.bsky.social
Before the holidays take over completely, here's a reminder that this year's online Triskele Heritage Christmas Lecture will take place on Tuesday 30 December...

Bookings are still available, here:
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/buildings-...
December 18, 2025 at 5:31 PM
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limefinishes.bsky.social
Following our first collaborative event in 2024 with Historic Environment Scotland, I am pleased to announce our second with Historic England. We are exploring the cultural and physical implications of the loss lime finishes in a changing climate. Do get in touch if you would like to present.
December 17, 2025 at 9:53 AM