Late 18th century timber framed Double Essex Barn, Grove Farm, Tan Lane (EHER 34800)

A late 18th century timber framed Double Essex Barn with two full height porches. It was probably constructed around 1780, and was altered throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. There is almost no reused timber and the roof is clad with very rusty corrugated iron. Only the East and West elevations are timber clad, the remaining elevations are rendered with hard cement on chicken wire. The building shows many scars from, now demolished, outbuildings and lean-tos.

July 1986. Grade II listed. Eighteenth century timber framed barn with two gabled midstreys and plastered externally. It probably has eight bays. The roof is corrugated iron clad and side purlin. Limited inspection at time of re-survey. <1> <2> February 2018. Heritage assessment. Late 18th century timber framed barn with two full height porches of similar dimension, that correspond to two full height doors on the rear of the building, and which characterise it as an archetypal Double Essex Barn. It was probably constructed around 1780 prior to the Napoleonic Era grain embargoes, and the asphalt dressing floor was probably installed around 1820, sometime after its construction. There is almost no reused timber and the roof is clad with very rusty corrugated iron. The barn is situated atop a brick plinth which features a brick-built culvert in the Western porch and is most probably an addition during WWII. Only the East and West elevations are timber clad, the remaining elevations are rendered with hard cement on a chicken wire armature which is probably mid 20th century and perhaps another WWII alteration. The building shows many scars from, now demolished, outbuildings and lean-tos. Internally, the barn has a machine-planked drying floor in the Western midstrey extending into the porch. These floors were used for drying crops and often have tunnels underneath them, to which the culvert outside may be connected. The central part of the barn retains an asphalt dressing floor. The Barn was extensively repaired in the mid 20th century, most probably in the 1950s. Most of the floors were replaced with concrete and large sections of weather boarding were replaced and fixed with French nails. The Southern side of the Barn had open shelters built against it protecting the original 10in weather-boards and mapping evidence suggests they were continually being altered. It is likely grain drying machinery was installed but nearly all traces have been removed leaving only a few support timbers. <3>