Open Sided Barn At Tongswood Farm

The open-sided barn at Tongswood Farm is likely a hay barn used for making silage, dating from the late 19th century. It is part of Tongswood Farm, a model farm established for William Gunther, who raised prime bulls for export to Argentina. The barn has a rectangular shape, with a base made of red brick in Flemish bond and a superstructure of timber framing featuring a pattern of diagonal braces and a half-hipped tiled roof. Built into the side of a hill, it has two small wooden doors at the top and a large entrance at the bottom. Grass would be brought in at the lower end and shovelled out at the upper end when well rotted, with the open sides allowing gases to escape. This barn played a significant role in the raising of the bulls.