North Barn 75 Metres North-North-West Of The Abbot'S Porch.

The North Barn, located 75 metres north-north-west of the Abbot's Porch at Cerne Abbey, is a barn dating from the early 16th century. It features walls made of greensand and chalk blocks, topped with a corrugated iron roof over thatch. The stone gable copings have moulded apices. There are two porches on opposite sides, added in the 19th century. The south gable wall includes a doorway with straight-chamfered jambs and a depressed-arch head from the 16th century, which has a plank door and a sculptured piece of foliage above it. The east wall has two loop-lights. The roof consists of seven bays with arch-braced collar-beam construction, where the braces are set into the wall for approximately 35 centimetres, and the principals rest on the wall. There are two sets of through-purlins, with the lower tiers retaining some original wind-bracing. This medieval monastic building is significant both on its own and as part of the abbey complex of buildings and earthworks. It is also designated as a Scheduled Ancient Monument in Dorset.