The Barn

This large stone barn would have been in the care of Mr Carter, the carter and head gardener and his son William, the groom. The building would have housed the household’s cart and carriage and any agricultural equipment needed at the time. It may have also housed the stables.

It is uncertain when the barn was built, it could well have been built 13^th century alongside the house. As this mid-19^th century painting shows, the gable end had a smaller extension, which has now gone and the mullioned window in the kitchen was put in during the 1960s.

The smaller stone building in the picture was used as the stables in the later 19^th century, but it earlier function is unknown, it could have contained all the gardening equipment. It was demolished in the 1960s.

The implements hanging on the walls are mostly 19^th century, but many of them would have been recognised in the 17^th century too. From left to right the implements are:

Shepherds Crook
Nettle Beater
Iron ditching spade
Bull Stick
Pitchfork
Beet Fork
Drain Spade
Pitchfork
A Poy – used for pushing barges
Malt Shovel
Stack Knife
Stone Cutting saw