17th century bank barn at Wolseys Farm, Duton Hill, Great Easton (EHER 37525)

This is the oldest of the standing farm structures and stands at the north end of yard A.

October 2008. Level 3 building survey. This is the oldest of the standing farm structures and stands at the north end of the yard, with shed 2 to the east. The barn is included as part of the post-medieval farm alongside buildings 7 and 10 on 18th century mapping. It is an attractive building that was originally daubed, probably with a thatched roof too. In the intervening period, there have been small changes to the external structure, but the interior remains intact. The list description describes it as a 16th-century ‘bank barn’, with large areas rebuilt in the 17th-century; namely the southern side, roof and midstrey. Examination as part of the present survey suggested the barn is in fact a single 17th century phase, but with some repaired and rebuilt areas. The barn is laid out on three bays with aisles either side and a central midstrey to the south. Its timber-framing is constructed from well-converted oak in the close-studded form traditional to the area, with many reused timbers. The plinth on which it stands is visibly 19th-century comprising red bricks laid in Flemish bond, with some disruption in the build to the rear and west sides. The plinth is set higher on the north side where the ground falls away dramatically, hence the term ‘bank barn’. Weather-boarded cladding has been renewed in the modern period and asbestos tiles added to the hipped roof. In contrast, the midstrey roof is plain tiled. The barn is in a good state of repair and has been used for village events in recent times. Projecting beyond the main body of the barn, the central porch on its south elevation contains the main cart doors, for bringing wagons in, especially at harvest time. The doors are modern, but held on traditional pintels and round-ended strap hinges. The threshold leap has been removed from beneath the doors, but one of the planks was fitted to the east side of the porch (when the doors were enlarged. Above the doors, the tiled roof is fully hipped with swept gables. The plinth to the west of the porch has been extensively rebuilt since the mid 19th century infill here was removed and a French drain installed in the modern period. Modern steps lead up to an early doorway in the west side of the porch that is now concealed on the outside by modern cladding that covers the whole frame. Inside, the interior was clear and free from clutter. The three bays are a regular 4m wide each. The floors are concrete, with the west bay set slightly lower. Either side of the midstrey are slots in the arcade posts for mowstead rails. Each bay has seven or eight studs pegged and tenoned to plates either end, except for bay 2 where they are pegged to the top only. The studwork on the outer bays are reinforced by slightly curved internal braces falling from the corner aisle posts. Typical stud dimensions are between 13-15cm wide and 10cm deep, with gaps of 35-38cm. <1>