I am not sure if this is the same animal or not, but the last two issues (numbers 19 & 20) of Wood Design & Building magazine have had articles about stave construction. The method was developed by Norwegians, transferring their shipbuilding skills to church construction. Beginning around 1015, the Norwegians built nearly 1000 stave churches (of which 30 still remain standing), using long, straight vertical timbers (staves). Apparently there is some debate as to whether the technique was developed in Norway or Britain, because there is a church in Greensted that dates back to 1050. Anyway, if this sounds like what you were inquiring about, you can check it out at
www.WoodMags.com.
