Articles --> Nizina sartowicko-nowska

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In the discussed region 67 houses in 19 localities have survived. Additionally, the iconography for 21 no longer existing sites was found^[1], what gives an outlook on the total number of 88 houses.
The earliest information concerning the architecture of this area can be found in inventories and inspections carried out at the times of the Crown. They list mainly the number of buildings in different locations^[2]. A more complete picture is supplied by the inspection of the Grudziądz starosty of 1765^[3]. Besides listing different elements of the homestead together with all buildings, it also includes the description of their construction: In the village of Tragacz [...] Andrzej Kopar has a cottage 'w szachulec', a barn and a stable 'w wiązarek'; everything is old. Roofs need reparation. Two horses, two cows...^[4].
The contents of this document give an outlook on constructions of the 18th century sites. Homes had a corner-notched structure and farm buildings - a timber-frame construction^[5].
Next sources refer to the buildings of the 19th century. The Prussian administration published rather detailed reports of fire insurance. The certificate of the building's insurance had the form of plaques placed on the wall (ill. 4

)^[6]. In the documents of Bydgoszcz archives there are documents concerning sites in Grupa, Bzowo and Mątawy^[7]. Besides a detailed description of cubic measure and furnishings we will also find drawings of ground floor views (il. 5

,il. 6

, appendix)^[8].
This information completes the knowledge on the wooden homestead architecture in Nizina Sartowicko-Nowska. The point of departure for further considerations will however be the catalogue, only sometimes completed by information from the listed sources.

^[1] The archival research, the research in literature and sometimes photos obtained from inhabitants allowed finding the iconography for two sites in Bratwin, one in Dolna Grupa and Dragacz, four in Mątawy, one in Sartowice, Wąskie Piaski, Wielki Komórsk, two in Wielki Lubień, four in Wielkie Stwolno and three in Zajączkowo.
^[2] In 1603 in the village of Dragacz there were 5 farmer houses. The inspection of 1615 lists 15 houses in Wielki Lubień and 7 garden homesteads in Bzowo. Compare: Inwentarz.. 1603, op. cit., p. 33; Lustracja... 1624, op. cit., p. 264.
^[3] Inspection of the Grudziądz starosty 1756, op.cit., p. 32-51
^[4] Ibidem, p. 38.
^[5] Scientific terminology uses the world 'szachulec' for timber-frame construction. In this case, inspectors probably used it for the corner-notched structure, as it is sometimes used in the Chełmska land. Compare: W. Łęga Ziemia Chełmińska, "Prace i Materiały Etnograficzne" vol. XVII, 1961, p. 52; J. Święch, R. Tubaja, Budownictwo, [in:] Kultura ludowa Ziemi Chełmińskiej, Toruń 1978, p. 24. In the description of fire documentation the construction of the residential part is described as corner-notched (shurzwerk). Besides, none of the preserved cottages bears traces of the timber-frame structure; therefore we can gather that the inspectors used a wrong name. 'Wiązarek' is commonly used for the timber-frame structure.
^[6] Today there is still one such plaque in Wąskie Piaski 68. On the house in Krusze 39 there is also one, dating from the period between the two World Wars. Some time ago such plaques were also on cottages in Dragacz 47, 53 and in Mątawy 63.
^[7] National Archives in Bydgoszcz, Świecie starosty documents, ref. no. 78.
^[8] The inventory includes animals, farm machines and tools, as well as house equipment, from jewellery through dishes to clothes and underwear.