Early 19th century timber framed barn and 20th century sheds at Poplars Farm, Little Tey Road (EHER 80493)

A five-bay timber framed barn with a central midstrey porch projecting to the East. The barn is weatherboarded to the East and the remaining elevations are rendered with cement. The roof is clad with corrugated iron sheets and the floor is poured concrete. The barn was built at the start of the 19th century, probably in response to Napoleonic War era grain shortages and increased production.

February 2012. Heritage assessment. A five-bay timber framed barn with a central midstrey porch projecting to the East. The West, North and South elevations are clad in cement rendered EML (Expanded Metal Lath) and the East elevation is weatherboarded with repairs in modern softwood. The roof is clad with corrugated iron sheets in several episodes as denoted by the differing amounts of rust present. The timber frame sits on a brick plinth that has been rendered in hard grey cement. The midstrey porch doors are probably original but repaired and reused. The form and construction of the barn is typical of the Napoleonic War Era of between 1795 and 1815 which saw grain shortages and increased local production. The frame is constructed from the remnants of an older barn but uses contemporary technology. It is likely this was one of the earlier barns of this period, built closer to the beginning of the war than the end, and certainly prior to 1838 where it is present on the Tythe Map of this year. Internally, bays 1, 2 and 5 (from the South) are open to the apex while bays 3 and 4 have a late 20th century inserted mezzanine floor designed for grain machinery but now part-netted as a bird cage. The ground floor is of poured concrete and the brick plinths are also encased in concrete and cement render. Much of the timber framing is reused from an earlier building. A power board remains next to the pedestrian door in the midstrey porch. All the components are Bakelite and are for lighting rather than machinery. The Eastern elevation has a series of outshot buildings on its flank. Built up against and extending beyond the midstrey porch to the SE is 20th century timber framed outshut used to store wood. Adjoining the South of this outshot are the scant remains of a machine sawn softwood frame for an open-sided shelter of which only the top-plates, central post and principal rafter remain. Extending from the East elevation to the NE is a large 20th century store building, which abuts a 19th century timber framed stable on a perpendicular alignment. 20th century store shed. The store was probably built at the same time as the wood shed, and map evidence indicates that both were constructed at some time between 1923 and 1956. The walls of the store are built of hollow blockwork bonded with grey cement. The roof is clad with corrugated asbestos with translucent fibreglass panels. The buildings are typical of their period and of no great interest. <1> December 2012. Aerial imagery. By December 2012, the Westernmost bay of the store shed (perhaps the two Westernmost bays, though this isn't clear) was removed to create a gap between the two buildings. <2>