Cruck Barn, Newby Cote, near Clapham, North Yorkshire

Cruck Barn, Newby Cote, near Clapham, North Yorkshire

This is a combination barn and stable standing in the small farming hamlet of Newby Cote. The building probably dates to the 16th century as a cruck barn, with an additional single-bay building added at the north end at an unknown date. The entire structure was heightened, altered and re-roofed under a single roof during the 18th century, with further alterations made in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Mid-20th century additions including a lean-to cow house, cart shed and subsidiary lean-to extensions are not of special architectural interest.

The barn is constructed of rubble stone and roughly squared limestone with a stone slate roof. It follows a linear north-south alignment with the south gable wall positioned near the roadside. The plan consists of a long barn of seven bays with off-centre cart entrances, separated by a cross wall from a one-bay stable at the north end, all contained within a single roof structure.

The building stands on a plinth which, due to the fall of the land, becomes a double-plinth at the southern end, visible particularly at the south-west corner. The lower wall sections are generally of roughly-coursed rubble stone with regularly coursed, squared limestone forming the upper walls. Larger, dressed quoin stones mark the corners.

The long west elevation shows more clearly coursed stonework from ground to eaves level at the northern end where the stable is located. Here stands a doorway constructed from good-quality dressed stone with alternating jamb stones and a segmental-arched lintel bearing a delicately inscribed roll moulding to both sides, fitted with a square-headed, split stable door. Immediately to its left is a window with a double-chamfered stone frame and a mullion (now missing). To the right of the doorway is a second dressed stone doorway with alternating jamb stones with chamfered reveal edges and a segmental-arched, chamfered lintel; the lintel does not align with the jambs, which are set wider apart than the original door width. To its immediate right is a squared pitching hole at eaves level (inserted around 1915). Approximately central to the elevation is a segmental-arched cart entrance with alternating, chamfered jamb stones and shaped, chamfered voussoirs. To the right of this entrance the wall contains two rows of ventilation slits in the lower section and square ventilation holes in the upper section, together with two squared pitching holes at eaves level.

The lower part of the south gable wall is largely obscured by later single-storey lean-to structures. The visible south-west corner retains the double plinth, which continues inside the lean-to buildings where it is plastered. The upper gable wall clearly displays the steeply-pitched roof line of the original cruck barn roof, which rises to the same height as the apex of the present roof.

The long east elevation is almost entirely obscured by the later lean-to. Inside the lean-to the barn wall is roughly plastered and lime-washed. The original eaves line of the roof is visible as a slight step-back in the wall above this level. Above this mark is a roughly horizontal line of larger, projecting through stones. At the south end is a square-headed doorway with dressed stone jambs and a thin stone lintel. Approximately central to the elevation is a former segmental-arched cart entrance, now partially blocked with plastered blocking; the opening currently contains an inset water trough.

The north gable wall features large, dressed stone blocks forming the right-hand north-west corner, which include two visible stones with chamfers and one below with a run-out chamfer stop. The left-hand north-east side shows a ragged joint with the abutting lean-to. A square pitching hole sits just right of centre in the gable, with a squared stone frame. At the gable apex are five rows of pigeon holes with projecting stone perches.

Interior

The barn interior contains six trusses with a ridge-purlin and two rows of tusk-tenoned purlins to each side. From the south end, the first, second, third and sixth trusses have tie beams and collars. The fifth truss retains its tie beam, and its principal rafters have mortices for a collar, now replaced by a machine-sawn king post with two bolted horizontal metal rods. The fourth truss is entirely of machine-sawn timber, constructed as a king-post truss with diagonal struts. Several of the roof trusses and purlins retain redundant peg holes and lap joints. The roof battens comprise both adzed and machine-sawn wood.

From the south end, five bays have a cobbled floor, while the sixth and seventh bays have a stepped-up concrete floor at the same level as the adjoining stable. The barn and stable are divided by a rubble-stone cross wall with a central doorway fitted with a timber lintel, and a second doorway above giving access to the loft area of the stable.

The east wall of the barn from the north end contains a single ventilation slit with a blocked window fitted with a timber lintel to its right. Beyond this is the partially blocked cart entrance with further rows of splayed ventilation slits extending to its right. Towards the right-hand end is a rebate for a cruck blade, and in the corner is the doorway opening through to the south end of the east lean-to.

The west wall from the south end contains rows of splayed ventilation slits with two pitching holes above, fitted with timber plank and batten doors. The fifth bay contains the large cart entrance, which retains its iron door pintels. Immediately to the right of the entrance opening is a cruck padstone, with another padstone visible to its left in the fourth bay. To the right of the cart entrance is a pitching hole and a doorway.

The south gable wall contains four rows of small square ventilation holes.

The one-bay stable has a first floor of machine-sawn timbers. The ground floor appears to contain a blocked window in the east wall. The west wall contains the stable doorway and window.