Timber Frame v. Post and Beam

Credit: Maine Barn Company

I woke up today thinking to my self "just how structural is the foundation in a timber frame building?"  I know, deep thought.  The point is, where is the true load in a timber frame structure.  There are obviously loads on all the beams and obviously the structure needs a foundation.  However, in present day "stick" or platform framing, exterior walls are all structural and all carry a load down to the foundation, which in turn is intended to be able to carry a uniform load at every point.  In timber framing, it seems to me, the true load is at the vertical posts, like the corners.  See in this picture as an example, the structure is supported at the corner posts; the exterior walls don't require structural stud walls for support.  (And the diagonal cross members eliminate the need for plywood sheathing to create rack strength.)  In the case of the 168 Strongs (our house), we have vertical members at the corner posts and the mid-point of the gable wall, like in this diagram. 

I haven't figured out the load on the front and back walls yet.  If it stops raining, that will be today's mind bender.  All this to say Anderson is probably right - the corner blocks are the key foundation points.  The side foundation between vertical posts conceptually really only needs to carry the load of the sill plate to support the first floor floor joists - a much smaller load.  But, given the age and the apparent "all you can eat salad bar" that must've been somewhere for our cellulose-chomping friends, putting in extra structure and creating supporting stud walls is not a bad idea. 

By the way, I was also curious about the difference between "timber frame" and "post and beam" construction.  The (online) consensus is that timber frame construction refers to solid wood timbers typically connected in mortise and tenon joints secured by wooden pegs, and post and beam refers to heavy wooden timber construction where steel plates or gussets are used to secure joints.  What we commonly refer to as "Tudor Style" was actually timber frame construction and sometimes referred to as "half timber," because the faces of the timbers were left exposed externally and sometimes internally (assuming the "timbers" aren't just thin trim applied for show).