Its a very old technique, seen all over Europe, a crude version of a proper kingpost roof with better headroom. A queenpost is pinned M&T to a collar with main rafters taken into the posts and reinforced with an angled strut. The short horizontals are temporary and will be sawn flush later. Purlins and angle braces link the bays, just visible under the roof, and 2x3 rafters run ridge board to eaves over them on short spans. All joints are timber pegged M&T. Battens, very light, these are 1x2, run horizontally at centres derived from 1/3 of the tile/shingle/slate length. These can be as light as 1.5" x 5/8"- don't tread on these centre span! Traditionally, NO felt, cover laid straight over- slates are fixed today with wire hooks, but traditionally were centre nailed with copper or lead clouts. Pantiles are only held by gravity- a 2000 year old Roman technique. Pantile pitch 20-25 deg, slate 40-50 deg, and where 50 deg is seen on old buildings, the roof originally had a thatched cover- straw or reed. The shingles are being hand planed by the man on the extreme left, with a long wooden jackplane, just visible.
Sad to have to relate but the 'slapdash, couldn't give a darn' had made its way into even this traditional build- they were fixing the shingles with a single top-fix phillips woodscrew, and as any roofer will tell you, the ruddy lot will flap off in a good storm!
Alan
