We always knew the floors sloped, but had not realised quite how much. When Mike and his team measured it using a laser, they revealed a 3″ dip from the outside wall to middle of the building. Only really good wood would take that kind of movement without damage! It is fortunate that excellent quality materials were available when the house was built, as it seems that those who erected it were, perhaps, not as skilled at framing as they might have thought.