Building record 6655/1/4 - Mid-19th century cart shed and granary

Building forming the western side of the courtyard of Weedon Lodge Farm. Datestone of 1860

{1} Building D is the largest of the buildings within the proposed development area, and along with C forms the westernmost range of the yard. The brick matches that of the previous buildings and the roof is again Welsh Slate. The brickwork of the principal elevation is laid in Flemish Bond (alternate header bricks and stretcher bricks in each course); bluish grey flared headers are used creating a rather striking polychrome elevation, which along with the arched openings creates an impressive building viewed from the main approach to the farm from the north west. On the east gable is a diamond shaped vent, above which is a small diamond of flared headers, a purely decorative flourish. On the west gable is a second pitching hole above which is a date stone inscribed T B T over the date 1860, potentially alluding to the Thornton Family; the stone is set within a polychrome brick arch. On the ridge of this gable is a weather vane set upon a square stone shaft. The stone appears to be a local ironstone and has the weathering of a much older feature, it is possible that the shaft is re-used.

The building is a two storied cart shed of six bays with a granary above, six bays suggests a substantial farm when the building was built. Cart sheds were commonly built with openings facing away from the farmyard, with the intention that animals were less likely to enter the building from the yards and damage either themselves or the machinery. The northernmost bay has an original looking sliding door, suggesting it may have originally been an implement store and needed to be secured.

There is access to the first floor via an internal, brick stair on the east gable, as well as a hanging door and pitching hole on the principal elevation. There is a large niche and dog kennel below the stair. The niche is created by an asymmetrical arch. There is an original timber door at the base of the stairs with a cat hole. The ceiling is joists carried on bridging beams and central posts. The northernmost, closed bay has limited remains of lime plaster, which suggests it may have been a trap house rather than an implement store, as previously thought.

The first floor consists of a single bay, there are a number of modern partitions created from corrugated tinned sheets serving as grain bins, in all probability replacing the original timber bins. The size of the granary again suggests a successful farm. The roof is carried on six composite Queen Post trusses in deal and iron.

<1> Archaeological Building Recording Services, 2016, An Archaeological Standing Building Survey: Weedon Lodge Farm, Everdon Road, Weedon, Northamptonshire, p.6-7 (Report). SNN110319.

<2> Crank, N. (Editor), 2017, South Midlands Archaeology (47), p. 35 (Journal). SNN111362.

Record last edited

Feb 26 2025 7:45PM