Flitch of bacon custom in the 13th century there are some who would date it to earlier Norman or Saxon times, one suggested date being 1104, the founding of the Little Dunmow Priory. This is partly because the flitch of Dunmow seems to have already been common knowledge in very early works such as the prologue to Chaucer's "Wife of Bath" and also in the "Visions of Pierce Plowman" by William Langland. Some would also read passages in the "Anglo-Saxon Chronicle" as alluding to the Dunmow flitch. It is possible that the "flitch of bacon" custom was at one time quite widespread. There was
Flitch beam from "The American Architect and Building News" compares three alternatives in a hypothetical railway station “in which the second story is devoted to offices, and where we must use girders to support the second floor of 25-foot span, and not less than 12 feet on centres if we can avoid it. This would give us to be supported by the girder a floor area of 12’ x 25’ = 300 square feet” and 31,500 pounds of load. After performing calculations the beams compare as follows: The article also cites the fire-retardant character of the flitch beam, “in case of a