The barn, cartlodge and granary at Hawkin's Farm

The barn, cartlodge and granary at Hawkin's Farm

A threshing barn of 1822, with an adjoining contemporary cart lodge and granary to the west. A lean-to loose box is attached to the south elevation of the barn.

The barn and adjoining cart lodge and granary have softwood timber frames, weatherboard cladding and pantile-covered roofs. The barn comprises seven bays with a softwood timber frame resting on a red brick plinth of approximately 10 courses, the plinth being painted over on the rear elevation. The gable roof has red pantile covering and wide barge boards. The exterior is clad with coated softwood weatherboard, mostly dating from the 19th century; the cladding has been renewed at the east gable end apex and in patches on the north elevation. Uncoated weatherboard is exposed at the west end of the barn where it meets the cart lodge, and at the south elevation where it has been protected by the lean-to loose box.

The main entrance into the barn is at the south elevation through a projecting midstrey with double doors that are patched but retain 19th-century strap hinges. The opposite doors in the rear elevation have many repairs but also retain strap hinges. The north, east and west elevations of the barn are blind, with the exception of a loading hatch high in the wall at the east end, lowered double doors at the north elevation, and a pedestrian door at the south-west corner of the barn leading into the east bay of the cart lodge.

The barn has a centrally placed threshing floor accessed by full-height doors through the midstrey to the south, which are opposite a lower pair of doors in the north elevation. The timber frame is constructed from softwood and survives largely intact with the exception of the upper east gable end. It is of light scantling, nailed in place rather than jointed. The threshing floor bay is defined by principal rafter trusses with tie beams, but the outer bays to the east and west have an unusual arrangement of principal rafters linked to the collars and wall posts with bolted knee-braces, negating the necessity for tie beams and thus allowing greater headroom. An inscription in red ochre on the southern purlin at its west end in the eastern part of the barn records: "JOHN OTTEWILL MENDLESHAM, AUGUST 1 1822. AGED 39 YEARS. THIS BARN WAS RAIS'D AUGUST 1 1822. THE FIRE IN THESE PREMISES WAS JUNE 8 1822. BUILDER BETTS FROM STOWMARKET. LONG LIVE FRIENDS." According to the tithe map, John Ottewill rented a cottage and yard in the village in 1839, and Betts was listed as a joiner and builder in Stowmarket in White's edition of 1844.

The threshing floor is covered with gault brick in a herringbone pattern, but on either side are concrete floors. A 19th-century grain bin is in the midstrey, but other loose boxes are all 20th century.

The cart lodge is of one storey with an attic granary, open fronted to the south and with a hipped roof with pantile covering over a weatherboard soffit. The lodge comprises two full-size bays and a narrower stair bay at the east end leading to the granary above. The timber frame rests on a red brick plinth of about 15 courses, which has been renewed in places. At the rear elevation is a 20th-century lean-to covered with corrugated metal.

The open bays of the cart lodge are supported by arcade posts, the central line of which are 20th-century replacements, and bolted knee-braces. The floor frame for the granary comprises bridging beams secured with reversed knee braces to the wall posts; additional 20th-century supports have been added to the structure. The roof is said to comprise a ridge piece, clasped purlins and nailed collars. The grain bins of the granary have been removed, but elements of the iron gearing and a pulley wheel, and a boarded grain bin are apparent on the ground floor of the east bay. Contemporary elm weatherboard is retained on the east side, carved with the initials 'F E 1874'. A door into the barn appears contemporary.

To the west of the midstrey is a lean-to loose box, probably contemporary to the barn, but greatly altered in the 20th century. It retains crudely finished tie beams and a replaced roof structure above.

The cattle shed and 20th-century stabling to the south of the barn, the 20th-century office attached to the front elevation of the barn and 20th-century lean-to attached to the rear of the cart lodge do not have special architectural and historic interest.