I have had several different discussions about what is a summer beam. Let's call them tie beams. They span the width of the barn, from eave to eave, and make up the central bay. The doors are in the middle of each eave wall.
The passing braces go from the wall post up to the upper tie beam, and are lapped over the lower "tie beam".
The connecting girts are in the same location as a long top plate, but are interupted by post and tie beam connection. I don't have a clear undertanding of this joinery, could be an English tying joint. I'll post more tomorrow.
Frame is hewn, possible scribed. I did see one empty mortise with three holes that had been drilled with a screw piloted auger bit, but these may have been newer. I dont know when screw auger bits came into use.
