Description

TG 31 SW GREAT AND LITTLE BROAD LANE
PLUMSTEAD LITTLE PLUMSTEAD

4/10003 Barn approx 65m NNE
of the Manor House

GV II

Barn with central engine house. Said to be pre-1836. Red brick in Flemish bond to exterior,
English bond to interior. Pantile roof Linear plan, lying east-west. Octagonal central engine
house approx. 40' diameter; east and west sides longer than north and south sides, and all longer
than canted sides. Octagon rises above integral barns the ends of which abut the full width of
the east and west sides of the octagon. Each barn is 5 bays long and each appears to have had
a 2-bay threshing floor immediately adjoining, and fully open to, the octagon. To the north side
of each 2-bay area is a high lean-to, the brick walls of which are flush with and integral with,
the north face of the octagon. There is no subdivision between lean-to and threshing floor.
Each lean-to has full-height double doors to north, opposite similar doors in main wall on south
side of threshing floor. Broad openings with high semi-circular relieving arches connect lean-tos
to octagon through NW and NE canted sides. Later, lower, lean-tos to north side of remaining
3 bays of each barn. East barn also has 3-bay south lean-to. Low flint and brick cart-shed
extension to west gable end of west barn, returning to south. Later cattle-yard to south not of
special interest. Octagon has dentilled brick eaves cornice and conical roof with weathervane.
Rectangular honeycomb vent high in wall on each canted side to NW and NE. Vents altered
to SW and SE. Blocked ventilation slit to centre of north wall. Octagonal roof has 2 tiers of
shaped, slightly staggered, butt purlins to each of 8 sides. N, S, E and W sides each have 2
principal rafters which abut hip rafters at upper purlin level. No tie-beams. Single collar
spanning NNE-SSW above upper purlin level, supporting plain king post which is strutted
upwards, from about half way up, to each hip rafter. Barn roofs have single tier of aligned
shaped butt purlins, high collars and ridge-poles. Tie-beams to alternate trusses only. Remainder
have long raked windbraces to principals. Remains of brick floor N-S across octagon and
rammed lime to SE corner. Remarkably complete, despite later alterations, and a comparatively
rare survival. Said to be one of only five in Norfolk.

Listing NGR: TG3049211273

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26554163

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  England's Post-War Listed Buildings
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 6: Westminster (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England): Westminster v. 6
• 
  Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East: Norwich and North-east v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)