History

A C17 cruck-framed barn incorporated into a large barn with granary and cow house in the C19, probably as part of the Downing Estate, and shown on the 1871 Ordnance Survey. The loft of the barn was later converted to a granary, its external steps being first shown on the 1912 Ordnance Survey. The barn was partly converted to a cow house in the early C20.

Exterior

A barn with a cow house at right angles, forming an L-shaped block facing a small yard, of rubble stone with bigger quoins and slate roof (partly missing). Facing the yard to the E, the barn has a threshing bay doorway L of centre with boarded stable doors under a timber lintel. An inserted doorway to its L is under a wooden lintel and has a blocked opening at the L end. On the R side is another inserted doorway but obscured behind large sliding doors. The loft has a small opening on the L side and a larger opening on the R side with large stone blocks forming its L jamb. The cow house has, facing the yard on the S side, 3 doorways under wooden lintels, and 2 inserted metal-framed windows below the eaves. A further unit is at the downhill (E) end, consisting of a boarded door under a wooden lintel and C20 metal-framed window to its R under an earlier wooden lintel.

The rear of the barn has a threshing bay doorway similar to the E side. A small ventilation strip is to its R beneath a wood-framed loft opening. To the L of the threshing bay are 2 inserted early C20 window with meal frames and brick dressings, and a single loft opening. Against the N gable end are external steps of brick with stone treads, to a granary doorway with boarded door.

Interior

The barn retains 3 pairs of crucks. The S pair is sawn off below the ridge and incorporates a C19 loft doorway with chamfered surround. The N gable end has a former narrow vent obscured by the addition of external steps.

Reasons for Listing

Listed as a good C19 estate farm building with important early origins in its rare-surviving cruck trusses, and as part of a strong farm group.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29480939

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

• 
  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
• 
  Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)
• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)