Threshing barn at the Southern Farmstead

A late C18 threshing barn, updated in the C20.

MATERIALS: coursed-flint walls with red-brick dressings in Flemish bond, under a clay-tile roof.

PLAN: the barn is aligned east to west, with the main doors in the centre facing south and north (into the yard).

EXTERIOR: a tall barn of five bays with red brick quoins and detailing to the openings with a single-brick course below the eaves under a half-hipped, clay tile roof. At the north and south elevation, there is a central, full-height vehicular entrance with a timber lintel. The door frames have the remains of a pair of timber-planked doors with strap hinges, originally hung on pintles, some of which survive. To the north elevation the bays to either side are of coursed-flint and the corners are finished with red brick quoins. Each bay has two ventilation openings (one above the other) which are also detailed in red brick. The south elevation is similar, however at the western end, the lower ventilators are wider apart in order to accommodate a former opening (now infilled with later brick). This has a red-brick architrave with quoins, under a red-brick segmental arch.

The east elevation is set into a bank and underneath the half-hipped gable there is a large, high-set opening which is infilled with corrugated iron. It has a red-brick architrave with quoins, under a red-brick segmental arch. The west elevation has four, ventilation openings which are also detailed in red brick. The lower examples are wider apart.

INTERIOR: the barn is arranged as one single open space and has a concrete floor. In the south-east corner fixed to the wall, there is a run of two timber rails joined by slighter, timber uprights, which may indicate the former position of animal stalls or storage bins. The C20 roof structure has continuous side purlins supported on A-frames which have two collars, joined by vertical tension rods.