Cruck

A cruck or crook frame is a curved timber, one of a pair, which support the roof of a building, historically used in England and Wales.

The term crook or cruck comes from Middle English crok(e), from Old Norse krāka, meaning "hook".

Crucks were chiefly used in the medieval period for structures such as houses and large tithe barns, which were entirely timber-framed.

For instance, base crucks are found in the roofs of the residential range of Staple Inn Buildings, Nos.

For instance, Tithe Barn, Pilton, Glastonbury, whose original roof was destroyed by lightning, has been carefully rebuilt in 2005 from curved oaks.