Because I’ve been sucked into A Large Gulf Wars Project involving the 14th century, and everything I’m planning for GW is somehow related, I started researching tent and pavilion construction in the 1300’s.  Here’s what I found.

The Tents of History, Stephen Francis Wyley, ed.
This is a list of links to a summarizing table, with references to published sources and sometimes linked pictures.  If I can figure out a more user-friendly way to compile this with embedded links and pictures I will.  Perhaps it can be a PowerPoint.  I should ask Wyley’s permission.  Many of his links have died – the best I see today is ‘Saint Martin Renounces His Weapons’ by Simone Martini, shown below courtesy of wga.hu.

So what I’ve read elsewhere, is that in the 14thc, side poles weren’t used on pavilions, and this painting certainly seems to back that up.  I see a center pole with guy ropes, then a ring of some sort at the roof-wall join under serious horizontal tension by lots of guy ropes.

This is rather a problem for SCA use, since we pitch tents and pavilions close together.  Surely this isn’t a new problem.

I wonder, is the ring stiff?  Does it need to be?  I think a specially made ‘spoked-wheel’ rope structure might work, hung from the center pole.  Some beta-testing is perhaps in order.

Medieval Pavilion Resources , Mira Silverlock, ed. –  Another link list site, again, problems with dead links.

European Military Tents, 14th-16th centuries, Julia Adams
A nice summary of different tent styles, with references to go look at pictures.  Must spend more time with this one.

UPDATE:  Coincidentally, after I’d started hunting, a discussion sparked on Tavern Yard (a Yahoo! List for Meridies) that made reference to period tents, and the author of this very fine article posted a link.

Much thanks to Master William for that bit of educational self-promotion – I learned a lot from the article, and now I think I might actually spring for a centerpole round, since they aren’t that much more expensive than mini-square slantwalls.