Tithe Barn is a Grade I listed building in the Cherwell local planning authority area, England. First listed on 8 December 1955. A C.1400 Barn. 3 related planning applications.
Tithe Barn
- WRENN ID
- gentle-pedestal-moss
- Grade
- I
- Local Planning Authority
- Cherwell
- Constituency
- Banbury MP: Sean Woodcock (Lab)
- Country
- England
- Date first listed
- 8 December 1955
- Type
- Barn
- Address
- Tithe Barn, Main Road, Swalcliffe
- OS grid reference
- SP 377 379
- Coordinates
- 52.03841, -1.45113
- Source
- Historic England listing
Description
Tithe barn, dating circa 1400. The barn is constructed of regular coursed ironstone rubble with a stone ridge, stone copings, and stone slates laid to diminishing courses. It has ten bays, defined externally by buttresses. On the east front are two gabled porches, situated within the third and eighth bay, each featuring threshing floors. Both porches retain stone gables, four-centred arched doorways, and plank doors. The west front originally contained two small doorways, though only the jamb of one remains.
The interior features upper cruck trusses, upper and lower collars, ridge and side purlins, and common rafters. Wind braces are present in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th bays, and arch braces support the collars. The ridge is supported on saddles. End gables incorporate louvered lancets, splayed internally, and single hole air vents arranged in rows along the sides, with slits to the ends. Internal measurements are 128 feet by 22 feet 9 inches, with an average bay length of 12 feet 9 inches. Cruck trusses rise to 11 feet 6 inches above ground, while the walls are 3 feet thick and the cruck feet measure 15 inches by 9 inches. A loft has been inserted into the first two bays to the south.
Historically, the barn was built by William of Wykeham, Bishop of Winchester, founder of New College Oxford, to whom the local living was endowed. It is noted for its masonry of a very high order and is considered architecturally the finest barn in Oxfordshire. The site is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument.
Local climate
Tithe Barn receives an average of 760 mm of rain a year. This makes it drier than 67% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is lower than that of 62% of listed buildings.
It experiences an average of 39 freeze-thaw cycles a year, more than 75% of listed buildings. Of these, 19 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.
Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.
More on this building
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- Full EPC report — heating system, energy costs, size, glazing, construction etc.
- Sale history — 5 transactions since 1995
- Related listed building consents — 3 applications
- Detailed attributes — period, style, materials, features
- Flood risk assessment
- Radon risk assessment
- Weather exposure and heating demand — rain and frost month by month and year by year, wind direction, solar and humidity
Matched applications, energy data and sale records are assembled automatically and may contain errors. Flag incorrect data.
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