Late 18th to early 19th century timber framed six-bay barn, Spital Farm, Station Road (EHER 81071)

A timber framed six-bay barn which abuts the Western extension to the threshing barn (EHER 81068) and forms the N-S arm of the farm complex. It is broadly contemporary with the barn and was built at sometime between 1777 and 1840. The building makes use of reused and modern timbers in its frame. It has most recently been used for housing livestock.

November 2023. Heritage assessment. A six-bay timber framed building which dominates the N-S range of the farm complex. Similarly to the Eastern four-bay building (EHER 81069), it has semi-aisled construction, with an aisle along the Eastern wall. There are six fairly equally-sized bays. It shares an L-shaped roof with the Eastern four-bay building (EHER 81069), which is gabled at both ends and covered in corrugated bitumen sheets. At the time of recording, the building was largely obscured by vegetation, with the Eastern elevation completely obscured. There are three door openings and two smaller openings on the West elevation. Internally, the timber-frame comprises a combination of hand-sawn and machine-cut timbers. A dividing wall has been inserted between bays 4 and 5, incorporating the tie-beam and posts into its structure. A small livestock door is present in the wall. The cartographic evidence of Spital Farm proves the barn complex was constructed between 1777 and 1840, during which time the farmstead was both conceived and expanded. While the construction dates of the buildings are likely to be fairly contemporary with one another, the threshing barn (EHER 81068) was probably the first structure to have been constructed. <1>