The top ends of the front posts are hollowed, and fitted with inserted dowels for the reception of the front rail. The six side-posts are finished off square, and have tenons which fit into the plates. The front ends of the plates are notched to the front top rail. The rafters are 5 ft. 7 in. long by 3 in. deep and 2 in. wide, wrought and chamfered and birdsmouthed to the plates as shown at [Fig. 98]. The ridge piece, 4 in. deep by 1½ in. thick, projects 5 ft. 2 in. from the wall. On the front end of the ridge is fixed the finial, which is 2 in. square. The rafters are covered with 1-in. V-jointed, wrought, grooved and tongued boarding, cut in 5-ft. 4-in. lengths, and laid horizontally or at right angles to the rafters.
Fig. 96.—Part Plan of Seat and Floor of Cottage Porch.
Fig. 97.—Section of Cottage Porch at Gable.
The roof may be covered with slates, with Broseley tiles, with wood shingles, or with thatch. A part plan of the roof is shown in [Fig. 99]. An enlarged section of the front angle of the gable is given in [Fig. 100]. Two boards, each 1 ft. 1 in. wide by 1¼ in. thick, are fixed to the outer rafters and run parallel with them; the heels of the two boards abutting on the front top rail, to which they are nailed. The split-twig herringbone ornament is also nailed to these boards. On the inner edges of the boards are secured twigs of about 1¾-in. in diameter, which are rebated to fit to the edges as shown in [Fig. 100]. The front projecting ends of the roofing boards are concealed by split twigs of about 2½-in. or 3-in. diameter, which do duty as bargeboards. The method is shown at A ([Fig. 100]).
