Vernacular architecture is that which is typical for an area or a region. This may be seen in the building materials used, the layout, and the use of rooms. By the end of the nineteenth century improved transport and communications, and changing building techniques, led to less regional variation in new buildings.
Yorkshire has a wide variety of vernacular buildings, from the yeoman-clothier houses of the West Riding, to the field barns of Swaledale and Wensleydale, and the brick farmsteads of the East Riding.
By studying buildings in detail, and using documentary and oral evidence from a variety of sources, the Yorkshire Vernacular Buildings Study Group is building up a picture of the different styles of local architecture. The group has recorded over 1900 buildings to date.
For further information about membership and activities, please see our website.