Abbey Barn the Almonry

Abbey Barn, also known as Abbey Barton, is a late medieval barn, recorded as existing in 1632, that has undergone considerable reconstruction, likely in the 18th century, with part conversion to a house around 1980. The barn is constructed of stone, brick, timber-frame, with a tile roof. Five bays of the original barn remain, the building formerly extending southeast by two or three bays (now incorporated into Monastery Cottage). The northwest entrance end features light timber-framing with brick nogging to the gable, containing a plank loading door, above wide 20th-century garage doors set in a rubble stone medieval wall. The main long return side, in five bays, is divided by deep buttresses with double offsets, set diagonally to the left corner; the wall has a weathered plinth and terminates at plate level with a dressed chamfered course. Bay 1 has a square opening, formerly with a stone mullion; Bay 2 contains a small glazed vent slit; Bay 3 contains a former arched doorway in a chamfered surround, now blocked, but with a two-pane light to the arch, a further inserted two-light window at eaves right, and a two-light dormer. Bay 4 has a deep chamfered flush casement, and Bay 5 is a plain wall with a buttress, continuing to Monastery Cottage. The northeast side is partly concealed, but the first two bays are mainly brick with timber-framing in the upper parts. Beyond this is No.1, The Almonry, which has two flat-roofed dormers above a 20th-century door on four steps, a blocked doorway, a bullseye opening, and a swept-down added section to the right. The interior of the barn end has a queen strut roof without collar, two purlins, with much new timber except for the main truss. There is a stone sett flooring. A brick-nogged light-framed partition under a rendered gable divides the barn from the new house. Remnants of a wall from the northeast, previously linked with walls passing through Abbey Cottages, are visible near the entrance end. It is thought this barn was the Abbey’s Almonry.