The Grange Barn

The Grange Barn is a large timber-framed barn of probable 12th/early 13th-century origin, substantially rebuilt in the 14th century, with 18th-century alterations and a restoration in 1984. It is weatherboarded and has a roof of handmade red plain tiles. The barn measures approximately 36.57 metres long, 13.71 metres wide, and 10.67 metres high, with six bays aligned east-northeast to west-southwest, two aisles, and two midstreys to the south-southeast. The main roof has a gablet hip at each end; the midstreys have hipped roofs.

Many of the original arcade posts remain, tapering towards the top and featuring an oblique trench near the top for a passing-brace, and the remains of open notched lap joints near the base for former struts to the aisle tie. One of the original posts was rotated during the early rebuild. The front arcade-plate is a composite of original sections, 14th-century replacements, and new oak from the 1984 restoration, with scarfs using edge-halved and bridled joints. Ten original straight arcade-braces, tenoned to the posts, are joined to the arcade-plate with a unique open notched lap joint construction, previously only observed in transverse frames. The front wall to the right of the right midstrey features widely-spaced, heavy studs; the remaining section was rebuilt in the 18th century to a greater height with primary straight bracing. The midstreys are 18th-century additions, with straight bracing and clasped purlin roofs along the ridges.

The rear arcade-plate is partly original, with nine original straight arcade-braces, joined using the open notched lap joint method, some repaired in 1984. The rear wall is divided into square panels by widely-spaced studs, with two inserted thinner studs in each panel. The left end wall is largely a reconstruction of 1984, retaining only the central post. The right end wall retains one original aisle tie, with a modern strut re-fixed using the original notched lap joint matrices, and one original passing-brace, repaired at the top. Arched braces are present on the tiebeam (the only curved members), along with 14th-century girts and studs below. All original tiebeams were replaced in the 14th-century rebuild; however, six of the original straight braces remain jointed to them using open notched laps, and two braces are tenoned. The roof structure includes a 14th-century crownpost with straight axial braces and down-braces to the tiebeams.

The barn is associated with Coggeshall Abbey, originally of Savignac order, but Cistercian from 1148. The 1984 restoration was undertaken by James Boutwood and received an Europa Nostra Award in 1985. Stop-chamfered spine beams with run-out stops are also present.