SAXON FARMHOUSE

There are different types of farms in Drenthe. The differences are due to age or to the region. The most important and oldest type, which occurs throughout the province, is the hall house. This type of farm is called Saxon farm because of its geographical distribution. It is a farmhouse with a three-aisled layout, in which the anchor truss construction provides a subdivision into a wide central aisle and two narrower side aisles. The crossbeams do not lie on top of the upright beams, but sit between the uprights. This creates more space under the roof for the storage of grain and hay. The ends of the crossbars are narrowed and protrude through openings in the uprights. They are anchored by wooden wedges. That is why this ancient wooden skeleton is called anchor beam truss. In the front part is usually the living area, behind it is the part (= workspace) with the stables. Initially, living and working space were not separated. In later times, living and working areas were separated by a partition or fire wall. Above the part is the hay storage. The hay can easily be placed from above the part in the stables on both sides of the part. The farms were once all covered with straw or thatch and had mud half-timbered walls. The rise of the roof tile and the petrification of the walls is a development of the last few centuries.

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