Farmstead from Rammelhof near Arbesbach

Built: 1827
Year of translocation: 1971 

The Brachhuber farmstead was built in the 17th century. Like the Vierkanthof from St Ulrich this type of farmstead was once common in the areas along the Danube. Often located in remote areas, farmsteads in the Waldvierteldistrict used a solid and sturdy construction which offered its residents a comfortable home during long and cold winters.The Brachhuber is built on a courtyard plan and is constructed of granite and timber, the two building materials which were most plentiful in the region. The barn is set at a right angle to the farmhouse, the wing housing the cowshed, pigsties, sheep pens and henhouse is parallel to the house. The complex was closed off with a screen wall and a large double-door gate.The farmhouse still retains its original kitchen with a raised open hearth. The parlour is at the gable end of the house. There is a tiled stove which was heated with wood that was inserted through a small door in the kitchen wall. The roof is good example of the cruck roof which was once common in the Waldviertel area. It consists of pairs of crucks which rise from the wall-plate to the apex where they intersect. The ridge purlin rests in the V created by the intersections. This purlin carries the sloping timbers.

When the original roof needed renewing, it was decided to replace the thatch by split larch shingles. Each shingle is approximately 60cm long and reduces in thickness from tail to head. A groove is cut into the tail end into which the shingle of the next higher layer is wedged to give a tight fit. Shingle roofs were once common in the region but are now a rare sight.