19th century barn at Sibbards Farm, Debden Green (EHER 49138)

The barn was built as a storage building before 1841. The Tithe Award Map does not show the porch or the store. The porch was added later using a peculiar design of carpentry that betrays its Victorian ingenuity. The building formed part of an early Victorian High Farm – a predecessor to the farm complex shown on the 1876 OS map.

February 2018. Level 3 building survey. The barn was built as a storage building before 1841. The Tithe Award Map does not show the porch or the store. The porch was added later using a peculiar design of carpentry that betrays its Victorian ingenuity. The building formed part of an early Victorian High Farm – a predecessor to the farm complex shown on the 1876 OS map. The slight frame is made of scantling – narrow section poor quality wood – and the strength derived from the 10 inch elm boards of which two sections remain on the north-west side. One section of lath and daub also remain – a cheaper alternative to boards and often seen on mid 19th century buildings. It is a standard Victorian size and pattern. By 1876 the site had fully developed into a Victorian High Farm. The porch was added to the barn in a peculiar way with the storey posts coming above the top-plates of the main frame making the porch doorway taller than the building. This did not create a midstrey for thrashing as there is no evidence for a door on the other side of the building. It is more likely it was easier to load and unload out of the weather and for small machines to be used in the building. The store was put up in the same era and may have well been part timber-framed, part pole as many half and quarter poles remain in the roof. The south-west side was open but may have been quickly infilled as the 1876 OS does not show this detail. Originally the building was gabled with half hips but this was hidden by later roof repairs. <1>