The Barley Barn
General information
LocationCressing Temple, Essex
CountryEngland
Coordinates51°50′14.1″N 00°36′39.5″E / 51.837250°N 0.610972°E / 51.837250; 0.610972
Construction startedc.1220 (1220)
OwnerEssex County Council
Listed Building – Grade I
The midstrey (porch) of the Barley Barn
Roof structure of the Barley Barn

The Barley Barn is an architecturally important medieval barn, part of a complex of farm buildings at Cressing Temple, Essex, England. The barn was built for the Knights Templar in the early thirteenth century. It has been claimed to be the oldest standing timber-framed barn in the world.[1][2]

History

The manor of Cressing was granted to the Knights Templar in the early 13th century, and scientific evidence suggests a felling date for the timber of the barn of around 1220.[3][4] The Knights Templar were dissolved in the 14th century, and the estate at Cressing passed to the Knights Hospitaller. It has since had other changes of ownership. The barn was modified in later centuries,[2] but remained in agricultural use until recent times.

Architecture

The Barley Barn is 38 metres long, 14 metres wide. For comparison, England's largest medieval barn, Harmondsworth Great Barn, is 58.55 metres long, 11 metres wide.

The construction displays 13th century features such as the use of straight square-section timber, passing braces, and certain types of joints and methods of assembly.[5]

Roof

The roof has been tiled from the beginning, and would have weighed close to 70 tonnes.[6]

Conservation

The Barley Barn is a Grade I listed building. Essex County Council acquired Cressing Temple in the 1980s and it has been converted into a heritage attraction.[7]

References

  1. ↑ . Haag, Michael (2014) The Tragedy of the Templars. Published by Profile Books Limited. ISBN 978-1-84668-451-7
  2. 1 2 Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1123865)". National Heritage List for England.
  3. ↑ Bettley, James, and Nikolaus Pevsner. Essex: The Buildings of England. New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 2007. 313. ISBN 0300116144
  4. ↑ Brown, R. J.. Timber-framed buildings of England. London: R. Hale Ltd. 1997.46-48. ISBN 0709060920
  5. ↑ "The barns and medieval carpentry". Friends of Cressing Temple. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
  6. ↑ Strachan, David (1998). Essex from the Air: Archaeology and history from aerial photographs. Published by Essex County Council Planning Dept. (ISBN 1-85281-165-X)
  7. ↑ "Cressing Temple". The Gardens Trust.
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