If a builder was going to build a house in the late middle ages, where would he get timber from?

by wupto

Where did people in the late middle ages/early renaissance (around 1450 to 1500) get their wood from? I couldn't find any professions such as "lumberjack" from that time, so did it even exist or would a builder just send someone into the woods to fell some trees? Was it maybe the work of a carpenter? I'm especially interested in central Europe.

BoxOfMapGrids

Hello and welcome.

While you wait for an in-depth response, here's some past answer to get you started.

By /u/idjet, a lovely detailing of forest management (in the context of charcoal production). It contains some information which may be of use to you.

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/42mpu4/why_did_charcoal_production_cause_massive/

Central Europe was pretty well settled in the period you're interested in, perhaps the absence of a forest where one could just 'send someone into' would be an interesting fact for you. Credits to /u/Miles_Sine_Castrum and /u/EvanRWT.

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4frpb9/what_were_medieval_woods_and_what_were_they_like/

I hope these posts can at least get you started.

Cheers.