Mid 19th century barn at Ryland’s Farm, Steeple Bumpstead (EHER 80299)

The mid 19th century buildings form part of the Victorian High Farming complex built around courtyards linking buildings in a factory configuration.

September 2014. Level 3 building survey. The buildings form part of the Victorian High Farming complex built around courtyards linking buildings in a factory configuration. Built between 1848 and 1876, according to the historic mapping and the machined quality of most of the fabric, the buildings are not particularly old, unique, or intact. The barn as it stands is not depicted on the 1848 Tithe Award map, but a narrower L-shaped building is in its place. Cartographic errors aside the fabric and design of the barn is mid 19th century and the roof tends towards a design later in the period than earlier. The barn is made from the remnants of a much older aisled barn whose remaining elements suggest were hewn in the 16th century. It is likely, but not certain, that an old, obsolete barn was dismantled on the site to make way for the new building. The old barn had only three bays which were not of sufficient capacity for the new building which was enlarged to the east with a new bay. The rear aisle was rebuilt in a narrow, taller configuration and this may have been to house machinery. The walls are built from reused heavy oak studs combined with several replacements. The top-plates are correctly morticed with wattle grooves but the darts on the studs don’t line up showing the building has been dismantled and re-erected. Although it is likely all the joints were marked only the assembly on the north side of Truss 1 has easily recognised carpenter’s assembly marks. The main brace to the tie-beam is marked IIII and the storey post is also marked above and below the joint. The post is also marked for braces III and IV, but a similar mark could not be found on the braces themselves. <1>