Taking a break from other things to add a few comments on architecture and
what certain persons would or would not have been familiar with in 1300-1400
in our so called dark ages. I take issue with a simplistic view that because
such and such did or did not exist, an individual would or would not have
been aware of round construction. Some interesting prespectives of the
period was that individuals in the 1300's were educated literate and
knowledgeable about many things. Construction which was tied to the guilds
and to the masons was by 1300 a very old and well developed science. Much of
the architectual development of 1300 has not been improved upon to this
date. Now this does not authenticate the ability of any given individual to
actually know or not know a given part of construction methods.. Round
buildings have a special challenge because of the roof design. My point is
simply that construction of buildings of a round design may be very well
possible for masons/guilds to be fully aware of and I would not be surprised
in the "science" was available by 1300-1400. Now a pro pos of Newport, the
most interesting aspect is the measurements that were used as one of the key
evidences as to the origins of the construction.
Just a thought or two on the evolution of construction and knowledge in the
middle ages.
Neil Toronto/PEI/Argyll
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