Barn at Lower Tresenny

Cadw's description

Location

400m SE of Grosmont village, immediately S of the road junction to Middle Tresenny, and some 30m SW of Lower Tresenny farmhouse.

History

An extremely rare example of a surviving cruck-framed corn barn of c1550, with lofted cowhouse at lower end.

Exterior

Timber framed over stone base to the long walls, upper part weatherboarded in oak, thinly coursed rubble stone to gable walls, C20 corrugated steel roof. Opposing off-centre doorways to threshing floor. On NE side, the upper barn wall is weatherboarded and the lower wall has a C16 6-light diamond mullion in chamfered, roll moulded frame (elevation partly obscured by C20 addition). N gable has three ground-floor doorways to cowhouse; chamfered frames, C16 plank door to right doorway. Upper gable has a wooden 5-light diamond mullion in chamfered frame. Lean-to (to left) has unglazed opening on ground floor and boarded door to pitching loft above.

Interior

Barn of 6 bays. Two pairs of massive crucks with exceptionally fine carpentry flank each side of the threshing floor. The N pair of crucks survive complete, S pair of crucks have been sawn off below the tie. Breadth of cruck blades is greatest between tie and collar. At apex blades do not converge but support a triangular yoke. Two tiers of purlins, the top row trenched, the bottom row butted directly against the back of the cruck blades and supported from the ends of the tie beams by angle struts. In addition to the two cruck trusses, are three collar and tie beam trusses which rest on heavy posts with jowled heads. Rectangular wall framing to sides, covered by oak weatherboarding. Flagged threshing floor has centre doorway to lower cowhouse and plank door with strap hinges.

Reason for designation

Highly graded II* as a well-preserved and exceptionally rare example of a C16 cruck-framed barn. Group value with the farmhouse and listed farm buildings at Lower Tresenny.