Bank barn south-west of Barteliver Farmhouse

MATERIALS: constructed from killas and granite rubble under a hipped roof clad in scantle slates. The single-storey addition to the east side has a roof of C20 corrugated metal sheeting.

PLAN: the bank barn fronts onto a small yard and is mostly of two storeys. It has a T-shaped plan with the longer, southern range orientated west-east and the shorter arm extending northwards; to the east is a C20 single-storey addition. To the rear is a slightly off-centre wheelpit, to the left of which is a lean-to of which only the west wall survives.

EXTERIOR: the ground rises to the south and also slightly to the west, meaning that the barn is partially built into banks. To the ground floor of the eastern half of the building which fronts onto the yard are a number of doorways, including two wider cart openings, all with segmental-arched lintels. The first floor has two taking-in doors which retain slate shelter porches and timber double doors and three two-light windows; the northernmost one is blocked. The north elevation of the shorter range has a single doorway to the upper floor which is accessed by a flight of stone steps. The west return has two windows and a taking-in door. The north elevation of the west end of the main range has a single window to the upper floor; the west wall is blind. To the rear is a blocked doorway into the west end of the main range, beyond which is a wheelpit which powered the threshing machine; the waterwheel has been removed.

INTERIOR: the ground floor provided fully enclosed housing for cattle, plus a loose box in the single-storey addition to the east end, and appears to have originally been largely open-plan, though blockwork partitions have since been introduced. Timber boarding divides the western end of the south range from the rest of the building; this section formerly had a first floor hayloft but it is now open to the roof. The upper floor is accessed from stone steps. Internally, the first part of the north range is fitted with wooden grain bins. There are a few instances of such an arrangement where a granary was situated over cowsheds or stables, but generally this was frowned upon because the damp and smells from the animals below could taint the grain. This area is partitioned off from the rest of the first floor with timber boards. Beyond this is the first of the two threshing floors; the other is located at the eastern end of the main, south range, both retain their opposing timber doors. The roof is supported by principal rafters with tie beams and queen posts, and a double row of purlins. There is lime plaster to the underside of the roof tiles. Within the roof space are the remains of line shafting and belt drive wheels, both wooden and metal ones, used to power the threshing machine and possibly other machinery.