Published: 25/08/25 By: Mike Bekin
It is no secret that timber is an old-school building material. In fact, renewable, sustainable timber laid the foundations for the country we live in today, providing humans thousands of years ago with a way to create lasting structures. The history of timber building shows how it worked its way into Britain’s historic landmarks. But where did our love of timber start, and how has it evolved over time? Let’s take a closer look at how the history of timber building has evolved.
The First Use of Timber in the UK
While we cannot tell you exactly when the first human picked up a piece of wood and made something new from it, we do know that there is evidence of timber homes built over 10,000 years ago. That is 8,000 BC, for reference! This was around the end of the ice age, when wooly mammoths still roamed the planet but with a greatly reduced population size.
However, it is likely that timber construction dates back to an even earlier time. Many believe the Paleolithic people in the UK were able to build complex timber structures anywhere from 1 million to 500,000 years ago, marking a significant chapter in timber building history.
A Roman Timber Landscape
By the time the Romans were on British soil (55BC – 410 AD), timber had been reliably chosen as a construction material. The Romans were using many timber construction techniques that we still use today, including mortice and tenon joinery, as they built everything from gates to bridges, and even buildings.
Interestingly, the Romans built the first version of the London Bridge, and chose timber to build it. It is thought that this was quite a rudimentary bridge (think planks and pontoons), which was developed into a more permanent timber bridge shortly after.
Eventually, timber-framed houses were also built on London Bridge and the space housed around 500 people, though this was some time after the Romans.
Tudors Loved Timber
Jumping ahead, the Tudor period (1485 to 1603) was awash with timber. This is thought by some to be the greatest era of timber building, characterised by the gorgeous timber beam houses which are still much-loved across the UK today. The Tudors also loved building furniture, flooring and boarded panelling, typically using Oak as their timber of choice.
However, it is important to note that the famed “Tudor” timber-framed homes were not solely built in this period, but form part of the broader timber building history. The famous Chester Rows, for example, were built towards the end of the 13th century, before the era of the Tudors.
Timber Piers: Icons of the British Coast
By the 19th century, as Britain’s Industrial Age flourished, timber found new life at the coast. This era saw the rise of the British seaside holiday, and with it the construction of grand timber piers which would become iconic features of the shoreline.
The first seaside pier in Britain, Ryde Pier, was built in 1814 on the Isle of Wight, using timber as its primary material. Designed to allow ferries to dock more easily, it quickly became a blueprint for many others to follow. Timber was the natural choice, being strong, flexible and readily available.
Since that time, over 100 piers have been built (though not all of them remain today), largely from timber. This includes Hastings Pier, for which the EcoChoice team provided sustainably sourced Ekki boards, and the Victoria Pier project, for which we supplied FSC-certified Angelim Vermelho.
Become a Part of the UK’s Timber History
Want to shape the UK’s next steps in timber construction? From decking to bridges, find sustainably sourced timber at EcoChoice. Reach out to us today to start your sustainable timber order and join the ongoing timber building history.
