Barn Approximately 45 Metres East Of Great Lodge

Barn. Early 16th century. Constructed of red brick in English bond, with a corrugated iron roof. The barn has a rectangular plan, aligned approximately north-south, with an internal span of about 10 metres and a length of approximately 24 metres. It includes a central threshing floor and a large entrance on each side. The gable ends have five tiers of loops with internal splays and timber lintels, the lowest tier being blocked externally. The side walls feature two tiers of similar loops, all blocked externally. The east entrance has a brick arch rebuilt in the 18th or 19th century, while the west entrance is supported by a rolled steel joist but retains the original brickwork above. A modern inserted floor occupies the north half of the barn, with ladders and platforms leading to the roof peak. The roof construction consists of eight bays, with a higher truss above the threshing floor than elsewhere. This higher truss is of arch-braced collar construction, featuring one vertical and two raking struts to a higher collar, and two further raking struts above. The remaining trusses are of king-post construction, two of which have forked bases. The barn rests on unusually long tiebeams, six of which are scarfed. These scarfs are face-splayed, with central keys and square undersquinted butts, a construction typically associated with 13th and 14th century buildings. Supporting the tiebeams are timber corbels, and wallpieces from which arched braces extend. Each tiebeam has two raking struts to each principal rafter, along with two more raking struts from each side of the king-post to each principal rafter. Three purlins are present in each roof pitch; the middle purlins are butt-jointed to the principal rafters, while the common rafters are butt-jointed to the middle purlins and supported by the upper and lower purlins. Curved wind-braces are positioned above the middle purlins to the principal rafters. The common rafters are jointed at the apex, without a ridge-piece. This roof construction is unique in Essex, and possibly in England. The barn is the sole surviving building from a royal manor granted to Anne of Cleeves in 1540 following the annulment of her marriage to Henry VIII. Its scale and construction suggest a royal building of the time of Henry VIII, although it might relate to the period of Anne of Cleeves and be the work of continental craftsmen.