Altcar Hall Farm Barn

Altcar Hall Farm Barn is a barn of mid-17th century date, thought to be associated with Altcar Hall of the same period, though it has undergone later alterations and additions.

The barn is constructed of stone and brick beneath a slate roof around a timber frame. It is approximately T-shaped in plan with its long axis running almost east-west.

The main south face is constructed of stone to windowsill height and brick above. It features a full-height 20th century double timber door towards the east end, with two stable doors and two windows towards the west end. The west gable is of stone construction with access to a hayloft via an external stone staircase. The north face is of brick with a single window at the western end and a full-height modern double timber door towards the west end, positioned directly opposite that in the south face. An attached brick-built lean-to at the east end of the north face houses two stables. The east gable is stone-built with a square timber hayloft intake high in the wall. An attached projecting east range consists of a brick-built stable with two stable doors giving access from the yard, a ground floor window and a taking-in door to the hayloft above.

The principal interior features include the building's well-preserved timber framing of considerable complexity. The barn comprises at least seven bays defined by substantial cruck frames, many of which are supported by large brick pillars. The eastern half of the barn, currently used for stabling and open to roof height, is separated from the western half by a brick wall. One of the cruck frames retains part of its infill panelling of wattle and daub. The western half consists of two separate stables with haylofts above, separated by a brick wall. Some modern iron girders support the hayloft floors. Many of the barn's roof timbers, including re-used components, appear to be of considerable age and demonstrate notable carpentry expertise.

Altcar Hall was in existence by about 1646 when it was assigned as a parsonage house with orchards, gardens, yards, stables and outhouses. The barn appears on the 1845 Ordnance Survey map, which shows a road or track leading from the north-west directly to the building. Map evidence indicates that at an unspecified date after 1927 the attached south-east range was demolished and then rebuilt as a separate structure, and a structure containing two stables was added to the north face of the barn at its east end.