Barns At Westenhanger Manor

Two conjoined barns, dating from the 16th century and constructed in two phases. They are located on Stanford Stone Street, Westenhanger. The barns are built mainly of galleted ragstone, with the east-west range having roughly coursed masonry and the north-south range constructed of smaller, evenly coursed blocks. Both have plain tile roofs. The barns form an L-shaped plan, with the east-west range joined to a north-south range running from the east gable end.

The east-west range, likely dating from the 16th century or earlier, features a chamfered stone plinth, which drops down with broach stops at doorways and continues along the east gable end (visible from within the second barn). The west end of the south elevation lacks a plinth. A central buttress on a chamfered plinth is present on the west gable end. A short section of roof at the east end stands higher, abutting the roof of the second range. Later, un-dressed ventilation slits are visible on the north elevation. The gable end has a pointed-arched window and a blocked opening towards the base, south of the buttress. The asymmetrical south elevation contains three small, plain-chamfered stone windows: one is pointed-arched towards the west end of the plinth; another is 4-centred arched towards the centre; and the third is also 4-centred arched towards the east end. Three 4-centred arched stone doorways are present, with broach stops: one, plain-chamfered, is immediately east of the west window; one, moulded with a hoodmould, is centrally located; and one, plain-chamfered, is between the central and east windows. Later openings for doors, hatches, and ventilation exist, some with probably re-used stone jambs. The north-south range, constructed in the later 16th century, has a south gable end flush with the south face of the first range. The south gable end has a slightly higher and more slightly chamfered stone plinth. The north end is built out over a stream, supported by a segmental arch. Two small, hollow-chamfered rectangular window openings are in each gable end, and two projecting stone porches with hipped gableted canopies are jettied on brackets from pendant posts, one to the west and one to the east. A later doorway is situated on the south gable end.

Inside the east-west range, the wall becomes thinner above door-head level. Brick cross walls, in header bond and likely inserted, are present on each side of the moulded south doorway. A floor, probably inserted, is located to the east of the moulded doorway. The roof of the east-west range was only partially inspected. A section has staggered butt purlins in short bay lengths, while the west end features a clasped-purlin roof. The north-south range has an 11-bay hammer-beam roof. Bevelled arch braces run from pendant posts resting on dressed stone corbels to the hammer-beams. The hammer-posts terminate in collars that carry queen-struts to higher collars. Two tiers of aligned butt purlins, one with windbraces and one without, are positioned below and above the lower collars. There are six common rafters morticed into each purlin. The roof is considered unusual and is a Scheduled Ancient Monument. See also item 3/101.