Tithe Barn

Cadw's description

Location

On the street line, S of churchyard.

History

The Tithe Barn is first mentioned in 1663, and it is probable that this refers to the present building. In 1814 it was converted into a school for 90 boys and girls by Rector Neville at which time it was thatched. It was converted for use as a parish office in 1928.

Exterior

C17 brick barn of 6 bays with later alterations. Cruciform plan formed by advancing central bays. Medium-steep pitch slate roof with oversailing eaves and a central (later) moulded brick stack. S gable with early C19 Gothick shaped stonekneelers and copings, and similar diagonally-set finial, corbelledout. Large 2-light Gothick window with simple intersecting tracery and cusped heads. 10-pane glazing below springing level, with thing glazing bars. Wide, moulded architrave. Narrow slit-window above, with plain architrave. At the opposite (N) end, a large 8-light plain-glazed mullioned and transomed window. The W elevation has three early C19 stone cross-windows, relating to paired bays. 2 tiers of blocked ventilation slits are apparent.

Later door to the R with rusticated stucco surround. 2- and 4-light mullioned windows to E face, with dentilated brick string course. This forms, in the central, advanced section, a label over the contemporary depressed-arched entrance. This is now partly obscured by an attached early C19 brick gabled porch with moulded eaves cornice and lead ball finial. Recessed, depressed-arched entrance, with continuous label. Stone plaque above inscribed "Tithe Barn". C20 double doors, approached by three steps. Plain flanking brick pilasters. Adjoining to the S a modern single-storey, flat-roofed extension.

Attached House: to the R of the porch, a 2-storey domestic extension of the second quarter C19. Slate roof with modern sky-light. Central recessed doorway with contemporary, vertically-planked door and 4-light rectangular fan. Late C19 slated door canopy on wooden brackets. Near-flush 2-light casement above, of 6 panes. Flanking door, two 16-pane recessed sash windows with flat-arched heads. Stone cills. External first floor entrance to E gable end with stone steps and iron rails.

Interior

Open trusses with rough chamfering and trenched purlins, mostly boxed-in. Brick partition wall between bays 2 and 3 (from S) apparently replaces contemporary division.

Reason for designation

Included for its important contribution to Hawarden's social and architectural history.