Almsbury Farm, Including Barn, Cow Shed, Stables, Shelter Shed And Granary

Almsbury Farm includes a barn, cow shed, stables, shelter shed, and granary, dating to the 18th century or earlier for the barn, with the remainder built in the 19th century. The barn is constructed of limestone rubble with dressed stone to the cart openings and quoins, and has a stone slate roof. It is nine bays wide, featuring a deep north porch and a shallower south porch with a hipped roof. The barn's roof structure contains a pair of upper crucks to the west, propped to a collar, and to the south porch a heavy collar and tie with queen posts. The barn is divided into two sections; the eastern part has a collar roof with two purlins, while the western part is higher and wider, featuring a roof with three purlins and a partition mid-way, with a rubble ground floor and framed upper level. The outer, west gable has three pigeon holes and a 4-light cusped window, likely from the demolished Abbey, positioned over a C15 window. Below are two wider segmental arches with voussoirs and key stones, three arches backed with brickwork, carried on a central pier with a heavy impost. Both porches have doorways beneath wood lintels, but the north entrance is raised, accessed by steps. The cow shed and stables are set at right angles to the north side and flush with the west gable of the barn. Constructed of cut and squared limestone with stone slate and coped gables, they form a two-storey C19 building with three windows and two doors under segmental arches with voussoirs. A shelter shed runs at right angles to the north from and flush with the east gable of the barn. This is a long, low shed with 16 open bays and three bricked-up bays, with a stone slate roof. The barn, cow shed, stables, and shelter shed enclose a large, roughly square yard facing Almsbury Farmhouse. Immediately north of the shelter shed, adjacent to the return gable of the farmhouse, is a granary or possible carter's flat over a cart shed. This is a good C19 limestone ashlar building with a stone slate roof, coped gables, and a stone stack. It is two storeys high, with a hauling opening over a large garage door with a segmental arch and voussoirs, and a smaller door to the left. To the south of the barn’s west gable is a long, low shed constructed of coursed rubble with a stone slate roof. The group of buildings is noted as splendid, complementing the farmhouse.