West Barn At Rectory Farm

A Tithe Barn, dating from the 15th or early 16th century. It is timber-framed and sits on a low sill of red brick, with dark weatherboarding on the west side, which exposes the timber frame with early 17th-century red brick infill. The steep-pitched roof is now slated and half-hipped. This 10-bay aisled rectorial tithe barn runs north-south and is located on the west side of the farmstead, facing east. Double doors are situated in the third bay from each end. A raised threshing floor occupies the two southern bays. A low-hipped extension is present on the south end. The barn measures approximately 135 feet by 37 feet, featuring narrow aisles and a wide nave. Peninsular brick sills are visible in some bays, running across the aisle to support the foot of the arcade posts. The barn has heavy, jowled arcade posts and jowled wall posts. There are five studs in the walls of each bay, with a large tension brace cut into the outside of the studs in each bay. Holes in the wallplate, originally for wattle-and-daub infill, have been replaced with brick infill, incorporating two rows of ventilating holes. Heavy aisle tie-beams and passing braces extend up to the back of the arcade posts. Heavy, slightly curved, long braces connect to the cambered tie-beams, and further heavy curved braces support the arcade plate. The arcade plate features edge-halved scarf joints with bridled butts. A single clasped purlin runs along each slope of the nave roof, supported by trusses with collars and inclined queen-struts. The rafters are long and slender, resembling what would be used for a thatched roof. The gable-end frame features a central post flanked by a mid-height rail jointed in line, with slender tension braces extending from the main posts. Hip-rafters and a collar link extend from the ends of the purlin.