Mid 19th century timber framed double threshing barn at Curd Hall Farm, Coggeshall (EHER 80231)

The large and imposing 12-bay timber framed and weatherboarded double threshing barn in the Western range of the farmyard complex extends to 36.5m long by 6.7m wide and rises to 3.1m. It may be the successor to a medieval aisled barn, although the building shows no evidence of reused material. It has been partially converted.

April 2016. Heritage assessment. The large and imposing 12-bay timber framed and weatherboarded double threshing barn in the Western range of the farmyard complex extends to 36.5m long by 6.7m wide and rises to 3.1m at its roof-plates on a tall red-brick plinth of 1m. The barn depicted at Curd Hall in 1735 may have been a medieval aisled barn, although it is not clear whether the monastic estate extended this far west: a 17th century map of the Abbey lands shows part of Grange Farm but stops short of Curd Hall – albeit indicating that Grange land continued in its direction. Certainly the width of the barn depicted in 1853 is consistent with an aisled building. The barn which occupied the same site in 1853 was demolished, and there is no significant evidence of re-used timber in its replacement, although the former’s southern bay may have survived as the present southern gable is open-framed, with knee-braces but no studs. It was clearly designed to abut another structure of comparable or greater size. The interior is divided by a central partition of boarded studwork into two symmetrical barns, each with an integral gabled Western porch in the third bay from their junction. The framing of narrow studs interrupted by nailed primary braces is typical of the mid 19th century and can be no earlier than the 1860s. Both barns have original full-height doors in their western walls, immediately opposite their porches, creating the vehicle thoroughfares expected after the mid 19th century. The Northern barn has been partly converted, with insulated boarding concealing its rafters and sub-dividing its porch, but the Southern barn is relatively unaltered. The floors are of modern concrete and there is no evidence of threshing floors. Twin barns of this kind were traditionally used for barley and wheat. <1>