Barn to the north-west of Laurel Cottage

Barn to the north-west of Laurel Cottage

This timber-frame barn dates to around the first half of the 18th century. It is a rectangular building running east to west, comprising four bays with an aisle along the north side and an outshut attached to the west end.

The barn is constructed with a timber frame set on a brick plinth. The walls are clad externally with weatherboarding of various dates; the earliest sections feature wide boards attached with hand-crafted nails, particularly evident on the south elevation, while later narrow weatherboards are found mainly on the north elevation. The east end has a 19th-century brick wall laid in Sussex bond. The west wall, which faces the road, is flint with brick bands and quoins.

The barn has several doorways, mostly dating from the 19th century or later. The central principal entrance on the south elevation has a set of plank doors with substantial strap hinges. Further plank and panel timber doors are found within the south elevation, along with a later window opening with round wooden mullions near the south-east end. The north elevation features a 19th-century porch at its centre, with a further set of plank doors fitted with metal hinges. Additional plank doors provide access to the west outshut, and a wide opening gives access to the east-end bay. The hipped roof is covered with modern metal sheets. The east end is hipped, while the west end is topped by a gablet with the outshut attached below.

Internally, the timber frame of the south wall and north-aisle wall consists of sill and wall plates with studs and straight and slightly curved braces. Several wall studs have been modified with later openings inserted within the south elevation, and timbers have been replaced around the central south door. Some north aisle wall studs have been removed or replaced, particularly at the north-east end.

The barn contains four principal trusses with pairs of principal jowl posts. The jowls either side of the central south entrance are flared, while the remainder are square cut. Four square-cut jowl aisle posts are joined to the principal posts by aisle tie beams and brick aisle plinths. Most posts retain straight or slightly curved braces rising to wall plates. Above the posts are tie beams; three are topped by pairs of straight queen posts, while the west end truss tie-beam is topped by four posts with collars above. Between the trusses are pairs of pegged rafters, some joined by collar ties. The central bay has lost some of the original rafters, particularly on its north face. Several wind braces survive between the principal rafters, and there is a pair of clasped purlins. The north aisle roof has lost several rafters at its north-east end.

The west end outshut has a sloping roof with several replaced rafters. The east end bay is topped by the hipped end of the roof, with some replaced rafters and additional supports added. A hayloft with a wide-board partition below sits on a platform which rests on the 19th-century east end brick wall; the platform is likely contemporary with the wall.

The majority of historic timbers survive in their original locations, with evidence of carpenters' marks visible on some of the principal trusses. Timber pegged mortice and tenon joints occur throughout. A small number of timbers with empty mortices may have been reused from elsewhere, including some wall studs and collar ties. Later supports have been added to reinforce the structure, particularly within the roof with additional purlins.

The barn has an earthen floor. An area of cobbles survives under the west-end outshut, and late 19th-century or early 20th-century quarry tiles are present under the east-end bay.