Crown post roof in the solar at Old Soar Manor in 2009: the crown post is the upright above the tie beam. It carries a beam called the crown plate which in turn supports the collar beams. There are braces between the collar beams and common rafters and from the crown posts to these braces.A crown post roof in the Dictionary of French Architecture from 11th to 16th Century (1856) (Dictionnaire raisonné de l’architecture française du XIe au XVIe siècle a French language dictionary) by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc. A. section view, B. longitudinal view, C. curved brace, D. crown post, E. cambered tie beam, F. collar plate, R collar beam.
A crown post is a term in traditional timber framing for a post in roof framing which stands on a tie beam or collar beam and supports a collar plate.[1] Historically, crown posts were called king posts, but this usage is confusing and obsolete. A crown post is designed to be in a compression and transfers weight to the tie beam, where a king post is designed to be in tension and supports the tie beam. In the U.K a crown strut is similar to a crown post but does not carry a plate.
References
^Alcock, N. W.. Recording timber-framed buildings: an illustrated glossary. London: Council for British Archaeology, 1989. G5
