Barn at Well Farm

Barn, dating to around the C18.

MATERIALS: timber-frame, set on a brick plinth and clad in weatherboarding. The large pitched roof has been covered by corrugated metal sheeting.

PLAN: four-bay barn described below as bay one (south end) to four (north end), with three principal trusses at one (south) to three (north), and a projecting porch on the east side.

EXTERIOR: the barn walls are clad in weatherboarding and the building is topped by a substantial pitched roof. The brick plinth on the east side of the building is higher than the other elevations, reflecting the slope of the yard. Within bay two, on the east elevation is a full height porch; the porch doors are raised above ground level and accessed by set of brick steps. There are further doors inserted into the east and west elevations, including a double-leaf door within bay three’s west elevation.

INTERIOR: the wall frames include close studs with cill beams, mid-rails, wall plates and diagonal braces. There are three principal trusses with jowled posts and straight braces which support tie beams with raked queen posts above. The roof includes pairs of rafters meeting a clasped ridge beam, and a pair of clasped purlins. The pair of braces to truss three have been replaced. The projecting porch within bay two has a set of double-leaf doors above a tall brick plinth. The ground level within the barn is lower than the porch doors. The porch has a raked queen post truss (one of the posts is missing), with clasped purlins; the rafters above have been replaced. The timber framing within bay two, opposite the porch, includes the mid-rails with a staggered alignment that differs from the other bays, a reused post and a small door. The variation in the frame suggests this may have been the location of an earlier opening or set of doors which corresponded with the porch doors. The studs within the north and south gable ends of the barn have thinner scantling and appear to be of a later date than those within the long elevations. There is evidence of reused timbers at various locations within the barn. Some common rafters and studs, sections of the clasped purlins and other timber elements have been replaced. The framing has also been modified with the insertion of later doors.