Do I need skirting boards?

Furts

Gloomendoom wrote: »

My 300+ year old cottage is quite traditional and skirting boards are conspicuous by their absence.

No laminate either.

A good point, and also a reflection on my vague answer. I consider myself corrected! Putting my building hat on I should have added that I associate skirtings with around Victorian onwards - when brick building, timber ground floors and generally working to line, level, square and guage became the norm.