Barn And Attached Outbuildings At Church Farm

Barn and Attached Outbuildings at Church Farm

This is a complex of farm buildings comprising a 17th-century barn and stable, remodelled and extended in the mid to late 18th century, with further extensions and alterations in the mid-19th century. The structures are built predominantly of timber framing with wattle and daub infill, supplemented by 20th-century brick repairs to the barn and some weatherboarding. The 19th-century additions are constructed in clay lump and Flemish bond brickwork. All roofs are covered with clay pantiles.

The layout comprises a 17th-century five-bay barn aligned east to west with a central threshing floor, which connects at right angles to a 17th-century stable block positioned at the south-east. A 19th-century clay lump extension extends northward from the north end of the stable block, while a clay lump addition has been added to the west gable of the barn. An early to mid-19th-century shelter shed extends southward from the west end of the barn on its south side, enclosing a large eastern yard. An early to mid-19th-century riding horse stable with an adjoining gig house adjoins this shelter shed at its south end and connects to the east wing of the adjacent house. A mid-19th-century L-plan service range, built in the same vernacular style, encloses a smaller western yard and returns to join the clay lump extension to the barn's west end. A detached cartshed stands to the north of the main group.

The barn features plank double threshing doors fitted with strap hinges. Weatherboarding covers the south elevation while the north side has 20th-century brick infill. The interior displays a five-bay double purlin roof with diminished principals and clasped purlins at the east end; butt purlins are used elsewhere. Morticed collar beams remain in place, some with surviving wind braces carried down from the principals to the wall plates. The wall framing incorporates jowelled posts set to tie beams. The east end has replacement sawn roof timbers, an inserted loft, and a loft stair.

The stable block is rectangular with a loft and granary above. Access is provided by an entrance with pitching hole on the east side, the door giving access to the loft stair at the south end. Above this sits a centrally-placed dormer with a pitching door serving the loft. A doorway in the south wall opens into the yard, which is accompanied by a window serving the upper floor. This wall also contains a doorway into a three-bay mid-19th-century clay lump shelter shed, open on its west side and roofed with a king post structure, attached at the west end of the stable. The stable interior is timber-framed with jowelled posts and transverse bracing between posts and tie beams. Harness pegs remain in place, and an inserted partition divides the stable area.

The shelter shed extending south from the barn's west end forms the west side of the eastern yard and connects to a mid-19th-century riding horse stable and gig house, which form the south side of that yard. A porch provides access to the north doorway into the yard. The south elevation contains lunette windows adjacent to the stable doors and double doors to the gig house at the east end. The mid-19th-century L-plan service range enclosing the west side and north-east corner of the smaller western yard has plank doors, three-light casement windows, and slatted rectangular window openings on its east elevation, these openings positioned adjacent to each door.

This farmstead represents an unusually complete example of vernacular agricultural buildings predating the mid-19th-century agricultural improvements. The barn, stable, and cartshed display significant vernacular characteristics and functional details that distinguish buildings of this period within this historically significant agricultural region. The 19th-century additions, constructed in the same vernacular tradition and partly in clay lump, form an important component of the group and demonstrate the markedly improved standard of buildings developed for housing cattle during this period.