15 Firwood Fold, 16th century Grade II* listed house in Bolton, England
15 Firwood Fold is a 16th century house featuring distinctive cruck construction, with A-shaped oak trusses supporting the walls on stone bases. The building was later covered with stone cladding, though the timber frame underneath remains the core of its structure.
The house was built in the 1500s using traditional timber framing techniques common to the region. Over time, a stone exterior was added to protect the structure from weathering while preserving the wooden frame inside.
The house reflects local building methods from the Tudor period, showing how craftspeople in Lancashire worked with the materials and skills they had available. Walking around it, you can see the practical choices they made in construction.
The building is viewable from the street in a residential area of Bolton. Keep in mind this is a private residence, so visitors can only observe the exterior from the public right of way.
One of the original oak trusses remains visible in the gable end, displaying the internal timber framework that has held up the house for centuries. This exposed wooden skeleton is a rare sight to witness on a 16th century building.
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