Farnley Little Barn

A former oast house, probably assembled in the late C18 reusing some earlier timbers, dated 1801 on a brick on the N side, converted to residential use in 1992.

MATERIALS: the ground floor is of red brick in Flemish bond with some vitrified headers and a projecting plinth. The first floor is timber-framed, clad in weatherboarding with a half-hipped tiled roof.

PLAN: of two storeys and four bays. Until the early C20 there was an integral hop kiln to the N and stowage to the S. Access to the first floor was provided externally by a ladder to a door in the centre of the first floor on the W side. After 1992 the plan was altered to provide a living room and kitchen on the ground floor and two bedrooms and a bathroom above reached by an internal staircase.

EXTERIOR: the W side has four windows on the first floor, the southernmost an original unglazed diamond mullioned opening retaining its original internal wooden shutter, the other small wooden windows were added circa 1992. In the centre is a plank door with wooden latch and iron hinges accessed by a fixed ladder. The ground floor has a small wooden mullioned window of circa 1992 and towards the S side is a plank door in a wooden surround.

The N side has no window or door openings but has an inscribed brick dated 1801 with the initials J C.

The E side has two small late C20 wooden mullioned windows on the first floor. The ground floor has two larger wooden casement windows and a Dutch door towards the N end

The S side has no window or door openings.

INTERIOR: the living room has three axial ceiling beams, the central one strengthened, and ceiling joists of thin scantling. The floor is laid with late C20 floor tiles. A circa 1992 winder staircase immediately N of the entrance leads to the upper floor.

The first floor wall frame retains three of the four original corner posts, the wall plates and long diagonal tension braces to the bays except at the N end. The roof structure has pegged rafters, purlins and collar beams. The wooden floor and most of the window shutters, apart from the original southern one on the W wall, are of circa 1992.