Barn and Front Yard with Walls Approx 200 Metres West of Birch Oak Farmhouse

Field barn. The barn dates to circa 1840. It is constructed of local stone and flint rubble, with Hamstone ashlar dressings and a corrugated asbestos roof. The barn is built across the hillside, facing north. It features opposing central full-height doorways onto the threshing floor. These doorways are flanked by short, projecting midstrey walls. The rear doorway also has double doors. There is a hayloft loading hatch at high level on each side of the barn. The roof is gable-ended, with Hamstone shaped kneelers and coping. An added lean-to is present at low level on the left-hand side, with a wide door opening to the west, and low to the right of the midstrey is an arched opening leading to an undercroft. The interior, which was not inspected, has framed principals and tie-beams with an added collar; two clasped purlins are tusk-tenoned to the principal rafters, with all roof timbers appearing original. The interior seemingly always lacked flooring to the hay lofts. In front of the barn, the ground slopes away, but a terrace is retained by stone rubble walls rising to a low parapet. This barn is part of several similar buildings in the area and was built as part of the Yarcombe Estate at the expense of Sir T.F.E. Drake. It is well-preserved and possesses considerable landscape value.