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[This is an article from
Cariadoc's Miscellany. The Miscellany is
Copyright (c) by David Friedman and Elizabeth Cook, 1988, 1990, 1992.
For copying details, see the
Miscellany Introduction.]
Building a Conjecturally Period Pavilion
Some years ago, we decided to try to build a pavilion that would be authentic,
reasonably portable, and provide adequate space and shelter for long camping
events such as Pennsic. After looking at all of the period pictures of
pavilions that we could readily find and failing to find any period
descriptions of how they were made, we concluded that the best we could manage
would be a conjecturally period pavilion-one consistent with what we knew about
period pavilions and period materials. We have so far built three, starting
with a half size model, going on to one that we thought was large enough for
us, and ending with one that is large enough for us; in building each we
attempted to correct problems discovered in its predecessor. This is a
description of our third pavilion.
Basic Design
One common period pavilion design is roughly conical, with a center pole. It
seems clear from pictures that at least some such pavilions did not have side
poles. One of our objectives was portability (we wanted something that could,
if necessary, be taken to Pennsic by air; our second pavilion was, twice), so
we designed our pavilion with a center pole but no side poles.
Pavilions of a generally conical shape seem to come in two varieties. In one,
both the roof and the walls slope, although the roof is steeper than the wall.
In the other, the walls are roughly vertical (see picture above). We chose the
latter design because we thought it would be easier to build.
Without side poles, one needs something to keep the shoulder of the pavilion
from collapsing inwards. It appeared that in at least some pavilions this was
done with a hoop; what it was made of we do not know. In our (ten sided)
pavilion the hoop consists of a wooden decagon made of ten dowels, each the
length of a side, connected by leather corner pieces. A taut rope connects each
pair of adjacent corner pieces, pulling them towards each other in order to
keep the dowels from pulling out of the corner pieces. The ropes keep the frame
together, the dowels keep it apart.
The entire weight of the pavilion hangs from one center pole. This is a problem
when one wishes to pitch the thing. Getting a long center pole lifted to
vertical while the weight of an entire pavilion is hanging from the top end is
not easy. We could barely manage it with our second pavilion (an 8' diameter
pavilion with a 12' center pole); the third (a 14' diameter pavilion with a 15'
center pole) would require someone considerably stronger-and longer-than either
of us.
We found a solution to this problem in pictures of period pavilions that show
two ropes running from the top of the center pole down to the ground outside
the pavilion. We concluded that there were actually three ropes (the third
would be hidden behind the pavilion and pole). Their function was to hold the
pole upright. After the pavilion had been pitched its ropes would hold up the
pole, which suggested that perhaps the function of the extra ropes was to pitch
the pole without the pavilion.
The system, as we worked it out, goes as follows. First you pitch the center
pole, using its own three ropes. Near the top of the center pole is a pulley
with a rope running through it. Once the pole is pitched, you use the rope and
pulley to pull the pavilion up the pole. I do not know if this is a correct
reconstruction of how period pavilions were pitched, but it works.
The walls of the pavilion consist of rectangles of fabric, hung from the dowels
just as a curtain hangs from a curtain rod. Each rectangle is sewn to the
adjacent rectangles, except at the door. The bottom corners of each rectangle
have clo
Cariadoc's Miscellany. The Miscellany is
Copyright (c) by David Friedman and Elizabeth Cook, 1988, 1990, 1992.
For copying details, see the
Miscellany Introduction.]
Building a Conjecturally Period Pavilion
Some years ago, we decided to try to build a pavilion that would be authentic,
reasonably portable, and provide adequate space and shelter for long camping
events such as Pennsic. After looking at all of the period pictures of
pavilions that we could readily find and failing to find any period
descriptions of how they were made, we concluded that the best we could manage
would be a conjecturally period pavilion-one consistent with what we knew about
period pavilions and period materials. We have so far built three, starting
with a half size model, going on to one that we thought was large enough for
us, and ending with one that is large enough for us; in building each we
attempted to correct problems discovered in its predecessor. This is a
description of our third pavilion.
Basic Design
One common period pavilion design is roughly conical, with a center pole. It
seems clear from pictures that at least some such pavilions did not have side
poles. One of our objectives was portability (we wanted something that could,
if necessary, be taken to Pennsic by air; our second pavilion was, twice), so
we designed our pavilion with a center pole but no side poles.
Pavilions of a generally conical shape seem to come in two varieties. In one,
both the roof and the walls slope, although the roof is steeper than the wall.
In the other, the walls are roughly vertical (see picture above). We chose the
latter design because we thought it would be easier to build.
Without side poles, one needs something to keep the shoulder of the pavilion
from collapsing inwards. It appeared that in at least some pavilions this was
done with a hoop; what it was made of we do not know. In our (ten sided)
pavilion the hoop consists of a wooden decagon made of ten dowels, each the
length of a side, connected by leather corner pieces. A taut rope connects each
pair of adjacent corner pieces, pulling them towards each other in order to
keep the dowels from pulling out of the corner pieces. The ropes keep the frame
together, the dowels keep it apart.
The entire weight of the pavilion hangs from one center pole. This is a problem
when one wishes to pitch the thing. Getting a long center pole lifted to
vertical while the weight of an entire pavilion is hanging from the top end is
not easy. We could barely manage it with our second pavilion (an 8' diameter
pavilion with a 12' center pole); the third (a 14' diameter pavilion with a 15'
center pole) would require someone considerably stronger-and longer-than either
of us.
We found a solution to this problem in pictures of period pavilions that show
two ropes running from the top of the center pole down to the ground outside
the pavilion. We concluded that there were actually three ropes (the third
would be hidden behind the pavilion and pole). Their function was to hold the
pole upright. After the pavilion had been pitched its ropes would hold up the
pole, which suggested that perhaps the function of the extra ropes was to pitch
the pole without the pavilion.
The system, as we worked it out, goes as follows. First you pitch the center
pole, using its own three ropes. Near the top of the center pole is a pulley
with a rope running through it. Once the pole is pitched, you use the rope and
pulley to pull the pavilion up the pole. I do not know if this is a correct
reconstruction of how period pavilions were pitched, but it works.
The walls of the pavilion consist of rectangles of fabric, hung from the dowels
just as a curtain hangs from a curtain rod. Each rectangle is sewn to the
adjacent rectangles, except at the door. The bottom corners of each rectangle
have clo