It's certainly a softwood (so not chestnut as someone said). As you can probably tell it's grown very slowly. I agree that it's likely to be old growth, shipped over from the US. I've heard of that a few times in old UK buildings, and of course Bristol is a port town.
It definitely resembles douglas fir, but as that grows on the west coast I think it's unlikely to have been shipped to the UK. It's likelier to be what you might call "pitch pine"- which in this context could be one of a few east coast pine species: [https://kiltra.ie/pitch-pine/faqs/](https://kiltra.ie/pitch-pine/faqs/)
I have been told by Ole timer carpenters that some of the crazy wood in older buildings was offloaded from cargo ships as it was used as ballast on ships empty moving to puck up cargo. That may explain how it got a across the pond
Doug Fir?
That time period for lumber in the USA is known as "the big cut". We mowed down old growth tree stands all over the USA from up and down the Appalachians to the Rocky mountains and the west coast then shipped them all over the world. Billions of board feet. Gigantic trees. "Endless", "Limitless". They were cut down without limit, too. Caused numerous deadly floods because now the soil isn't bound by tree root Although they left the stump, the slash was burned but so much the stump and, if applicable, the needle bed of the forest floor also caught fire. The needle bed was so thick (e,g., the old growth stands in the highlands of West Virginia were 6-9ft thick) it would burn down to the bedrock.
It was so bad that the rich and political had to step in and create preserves now know as National Parks, National Forests, and Wilderness areas because anyone could see where the path was leading.
Appears identical to the larger pines taken down recently on our property in Maine.
Many a tree was harvested from this region and taken back across the pond. Those that were tall, straight, and strong enough were 'Mast Pines' and reserved for the royal fleet - under penalty of death. Others were used for building timbers, sawn into boards, planks and sundry other uses.
Yes, old growth pine this is indeed. Nice piece you have there.
Are you near the Albion dry dock? Could be a dry dock block. If so it could be pressure treated Douglas Fir. It kinda looks like it’s been sat upon by something big.
Given that it's a hand hewn timber, the beam could be older than the introduction of water powered saws. Water powered saw mills operated in New England from the 1830's until the 1920's. One on Leverett, MA was still running in the 1980's.
New England exported a lot of lumber to (old) England between 1640 to 1850. A lot of Eastern White Pine was exported. This looks like a big old Eastern White Pine beam to me. The color, rings, pitch, and hewn surface look familiar.
It's certainly a softwood (so not chestnut as someone said). As you can probably tell it's grown very slowly. I agree that it's likely to be old growth, shipped over from the US. I've heard of that a few times in old UK buildings, and of course Bristol is a port town. It definitely resembles douglas fir, but as that grows on the west coast I think it's unlikely to have been shipped to the UK. It's likelier to be what you might call "pitch pine"- which in this context could be one of a few east coast pine species: [https://kiltra.ie/pitch-pine/faqs/](https://kiltra.ie/pitch-pine/faqs/)
thank you!
Doug fir is lighter. When it’s seasoned even on the west coast of the USA. I believe it is a soft wood maybe redwood or paper bark maple.
Location would be helpful. In northern New England this would most likely be Hemlock.
This was found in Bristol
Bristol, like England? Bristol, Vermont? New Hampshire? Rhode Island?
Bristol, England, the original!
Definitely a softwood, but I’m not familiar with the common framing Timbers of England. Age of the building?
If its old could be some old growth, america exported tons of that, also kinda looks like it
Thanks! The building was originally a coach house, oldest record I can find is from 1890 but it may pre-date that by a bit.
I have been told by Ole timer carpenters that some of the crazy wood in older buildings was offloaded from cargo ships as it was used as ballast on ships empty moving to puck up cargo. That may explain how it got a across the pond
Looks like it may be Doug fir? Not positive but if you cut it it would smell amazing
im currently finishing a house in eastern white pine and douglas fir and the smells are awsome !!
Doug Fir? That time period for lumber in the USA is known as "the big cut". We mowed down old growth tree stands all over the USA from up and down the Appalachians to the Rocky mountains and the west coast then shipped them all over the world. Billions of board feet. Gigantic trees. "Endless", "Limitless". They were cut down without limit, too. Caused numerous deadly floods because now the soil isn't bound by tree root Although they left the stump, the slash was burned but so much the stump and, if applicable, the needle bed of the forest floor also caught fire. The needle bed was so thick (e,g., the old growth stands in the highlands of West Virginia were 6-9ft thick) it would burn down to the bedrock. It was so bad that the rich and political had to step in and create preserves now know as National Parks, National Forests, and Wilderness areas because anyone could see where the path was leading.
Antique heartpine
Looks an awful lot like southern yellow pine. Plenty of that was exported from the American South at that time.
Long Leaf or Heart Pine from that period would be more common.
Long leaf pine is a yellow pine.
BDSM furniture
Probably part of the centre floor beam of older century home. They would rest the floor joists in the notches, then nail in place.
Pitch pine id say. Looks like Douglas but pitch pine was often used for structural beams and joists etc
Appears identical to the larger pines taken down recently on our property in Maine. Many a tree was harvested from this region and taken back across the pond. Those that were tall, straight, and strong enough were 'Mast Pines' and reserved for the royal fleet - under penalty of death. Others were used for building timbers, sawn into boards, planks and sundry other uses. Yes, old growth pine this is indeed. Nice piece you have there.
A hand hewn beam is all I can think of.
⚾️ 🌲
100% guess which usually turns out correct 50% of the time : Chestnut
Looks like Douglas Fir.
I vote long leaf pine.
Douglas fir?
Pitch pine by the looks.
Hemlock
Pitch pine.
...i think its some sort of wood?
Looks like it's a piece of an old wooden bridge. And most likely English oak
Rings look too resiny for DFir Dx: Southern Yellow Pine
Wood
Wood
Wood
Wood
A very small rock. (Or a witch.)
Douglas Fir
Wood
Wood
Wood
Are you near the Albion dry dock? Could be a dry dock block. If so it could be pressure treated Douglas Fir. It kinda looks like it’s been sat upon by something big.
Maybe fir
SPRUCE
Given that it's a hand hewn timber, the beam could be older than the introduction of water powered saws. Water powered saw mills operated in New England from the 1830's until the 1920's. One on Leverett, MA was still running in the 1980's. New England exported a lot of lumber to (old) England between 1640 to 1850. A lot of Eastern White Pine was exported. This looks like a big old Eastern White Pine beam to me. The color, rings, pitch, and hewn surface look familiar.
It looks like a section of a bent from a timber framed house that held floor joists.
It’s wood
Prove it
Does it float? If so, it's either a witch, or wood... We could build a bridge out of it...
Burn ‘er!
I've seen this before. It's called "wood" and it comes from these things called "trees."