Building record 325/3/8 - Barn at Glebe Farm

A late 17th-century barn built as part of a complex of farm buildings for the former vicarage

{1} The external elevations are built of well coursed sandstone rubble with some ashlared blocks at the corners and openings. The building stone is similar to that used in the other farm buildings and is locally sourced. The north elevation has a timber lintel above a blocked window above the ridgeline of the adjoining stable block. A partially blocked opening under an I-beam lintel is present in the south wall. The east elevation fronts the yard and has an opening for a double barn door but no windows, windeyes or ventilation. There is now only one door, which is ledged and braced and hangs on pintles. The strap hinges are of two different types; the spearhead type is at the bottom and a round one at the top of the door. Whereas the former was commonly used from the 16th to early 18th century, the round ones were more common in the 17th century. The only other characteristic of the east elevation is the parallel series of cross shaped iron ties.
The interior of the barn is distinguished by the use of different building materials and techniques. Whereas the north and south walls are as described above, the east and west walls are built of red bricks of different sizes, in a form of Dearne’s bonding. The lime mortar is very clean and crisp and has been applied with precision, reminiscent of an 18th century house. The brickwork on either side of the east and west door openings appears to have been rebuilt; the dimensions of the bricks are similar to those elsewhere in the wall as is the mortar, but the bond is highly erratic and poorly constructed. The roof has clearly been replaced as the trusses are early 20th century A-frames. The roof covering is corrugated sheeting. Some of the earlier elm tiebeams have survived; the southernmost one, which has run out chamfer stops, is supported by a brick built corbel to the west. The barn was once lit by a low window in the south wall and another, considerably higher one, in the north wall. Whereas the northern window was part of the original build, the southern one appears to have been a later insertion.

<1> Semmelmann, K., 2012, Historic Building Recording and Heritage Asset Impact Assessment: The Glebe House Barn, Marston St. Lawrence, Northamptonshire, pp.11-12 (checked) (Report). SNN108481.

<2> Horne B. (Editor), 2013, South Midlands Archaeology (43), p. 33 (Journal). SNN111431.

Record last edited

Mar 27 2019 10:25AM