L-shaped farm building at Bullen Farm

DATE: the northern range was probably constructed in the late C18 or early C19 as a cart shed and the eastern range was probably added in the mid-C19. Both parts are shown on the 1872 Ordnance Survey map, by which time the buildings were part of a cattle yard, but the southern end of the eastern side was lopped off in 1982 to provide a wider access for large vehicles. The south end wall and possibly the west were rebuilt in the later C20. The C20 structure with a corrugated iron roof attached at the south-east angle is not of special interest.

MATERIALS: the rear and side walls are constructed of brick and the open fronts are supported on timber piers. The roof is covered in peg-tile, except for the western slope of the eastern side where C20 tiles were replaced following theft.

PLAN: originally a single-storey range of six bays to the north with a four-bay range added later at the south-east end to form an L-shape.

DESCRIPTION: the north range has a north brick wall in Sussex bond. The west-end wall is also in Sussex bond but rebuilt in the C20. The open front to the south is supported on posts with curved jowls with curved wind braces on splayed pad stones. The roof structure has tie beams and rough-cut rafters with a ridge piece. Some thin rustic collar beams were nailed on later. The western bay contains two wide C19 brick fireplaces with segmental arches and chimneys set at right angles to each other, each with iron bars and hooks for hanging cauldrons. These were added in the C19 for communal cooking by seasonal hop pickers. Attached at the south-west end is a C19 wall of Kentish ragstone rubble with brick coping, forming one side of a cattle yard. On the inner side is a full-length concrete C20 cattle feeding trough. The east range has a brick wall in Flemish bond on the east side with a pattern of grey headers. The south end wall was rebuilt in the later C20, also in Flemish bond. The east range is open fronted on the west side, supported on un-jowled posts with wide wooden knees above, part bolted, part pegged. The roof structure of the east range has tie beams and sawn rafters with a ridge piece. The south bay is partitioned off with horizontal weatherboarding.