Hi TIMBEAL,
Re reverse assembly (tie below wall plate)- this is quite an archaic form of construction and is found in a few very early and mainly aisled buildings in England (think 1100's till early 1300's) and of the examples that remain most of these are liable to be found in quite large important buildings like Great Coxwell Barn. I suppose that these buildings are of similar dimensions to the relatively large modern mid west American barns and so there might just well be a correlation between size and preferred joint design (research study ?). The dropped tie approach is much more likely to be a continental practice imported into the States by mainland European migrants. Without checking my reference books I seem to recall from correspondance with John Macfarlane that the German "Liegender stuhl truss" exhibits this type of construction and thus American practice might well be more related to a cultural design melting pot approach than evolutionary design progression.
Take care re drawing widespread conclusions on English practice from The CBA "Recording Timber Framed Buildings" book. This is a serious attempt to document joints encountered during academic study of timber framed buildings but it gives no indication as to the widespread use and practice of specific joint types. A well known Timber Frame Building book author once said to me that this book smacked of "stamp collecting" and I now know what he meant. English timber frame style and practice is not universal across the country but more specifically related to regions or even just county wide practice which might not travel very far.
Regards
Ken Hume
