The Old Cider Mill And Threshing Barn

The Old Cider Mill and Threshing Barn is a 17th-century timber-framed threshing barn and cider mill, likely built by local craftsmen. It is characterised by brick nogging infill, timber weatherboarding, corrugated iron cladding, and a corrugated iron roof, all set on a stone and brick plinth. The barn has a rectangular plan of seven bays, internally subdivided into three areas.

The north and south elevations feature regular timber framing with brick and stone infill, with full-height openings in the fourth bay on each side, remnants of former threshing doors. The west gable has replacement timber framing and brick nogging, with earlier framing and horizontal timber weatherboarding on a coarsed Lias stone plinth. The east gable has regular timber framing and horizontal timber weatherboarding set on a deep Lias stone plinth.

Inside, the barn contains a 17th-century “crazy paved” Lias stone threshing floor and a 19th-century concentrically laid coarsed Lias stone horse engine floor, relating to a former cider mill. The roof structure consists of six trusses, incorporating full-height framed storage bays, with principal rafters, tie beams, and collars, secured by pegs and nails. Two tiers of purlins, some threaded and some trenched, and a partially lost ridge are present, along with surviving historic rafters. Long slender tension braces on the interior dividing wall at the east side of the barn suggest a prior gable end and an extension of the barn by two bays to the east at a later date.

The barn forms part of Longridge End Farm, which during the 19th century was a cider-producing farm surrounded by approximately 48 hectares of orchards. A late 20th-century cart shed attached to the south-west end is not of special interest.