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Summary

Threshing barn to west of Membury Court. Much rebuilt in the 19th century and reroofed in 1926. Stone rubble with corrugated iron roof.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1170750: BARN APPROXIMATELY 50 YARDS WEST OF MEMBURY COURT
• SHINE: Site of Iron Age and Roman enclosures, Roman villa, remains of a medieval chapel, a linhay part dating from the 14th/15th century, 18th century stables, 18th/19th century barn, pigsty and site of orchard of 19th century date or earlier at Membury Court

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: ST20SE/2/3
• Old Listed Building Ref (II)
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• THRESHING BARN (XVIII to XX - 1750 AD to 1926 AD (Between))

Full description

Clements, H. A., Report on Buildings at Risk in the Devon Part of the Blackdown Hills, 21, 71, 94 (Report - non-specific). SDV344049.

Risk level 3. Poor condition (B.A.R. 2.2.3). Other details: Photo.

English Heritage, 15/01/2015, Survey to Amend and Update Membury Court and Surrounding Buildings and Structures (Correspondence). SDV357671.

English Heritage are undertaking a survey to look at amending and updating the entries for Membury Court and surrounding buildings and structures on the National Heritage List for England.

Department of Environment, 1984, 62: Part of East Devon, 117 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV326854.

Barn approximately 50 yards west of Membury Court, Bedlam Lane. Circa late 18th or early 18th century, stone rubble barn. Low pitched corrugated iron half hipped roof.

Keystone Historic Buildings Consultants, 1993, Membury Court, Devon. Medieval House and Chapel, 115 (Report - Survey). SDV337301.

Threshing barn. Rubble with some dressed sandstone quoins. Five bays long with opposing full height doorways to threshing floor north of centre. 1745 survey describes it as having 4 bays. Much rebuilt in 19th century. Reroofed 1926. North end bay now floored and partitioned off as a granary. Threshing floor apparently in original position, since west doorway flanked by posts of late 16th or 17th century side-pegged jointed cruck trusses. South end of roof has half hip.

Devon County Council, 1997-2002, Buildings at Risk Survey in the Devon Part of the Blackdown Hills AONB (Un-published). SDV344048.

Late 18th or early 19th century, constructed of rubble stone, half hipped corrugated iron roof. Considered to be at risk in 1994. When inspected recently the building was found to be structurally sound. Suggested that barn be removed from Buildings at Risk Register. Other details: Photo.

English Heritage, 20/02/2015, Barn approximately 50 yards west of Membury Court, Membury, Axminster (Correspondence). SDV357895.

English Heritage has completed our initial assessment of the barn to consider whether its entry on the List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest should be revised.

The earliest farm building on the farmstead site is the linhay (qv), which is probably partly medieval in
origin. The threshing barn was built in the C18 and a 1745 survey describes it as having four bays. It was altered in the C19 and extended by one bay. It was re-roofed in 1926. In the C20 the north end was floored and partitioned off for a granary, and the barn was used as a cattle shed.

MATERIALS: rubble stone with limestone quoins and dressings, and timber roof structure.

DESCRIPTION: constructed on a north-south axis, the barn is of five bays. At the north end is an enclosed, lofted, single-bay section, once used as a granary. The main barn has opposing threshing doors and a full-size cart doorway. The posts of two side-pegged jointed cruck trusses survive in the west wall on either side of the rear threshing door. There is a mortise on one for a screen wall. The threshing floor is intact. The half-hipped C20 roof has tie beam trusses and king ties, with bolted lap-jointed collars and three sets of trenched purlins. The north end is divided by a stone rubble wall to loft height and a boarded loft wall with a door at first-floor level. The loft has timber corn bins. The roof is covered in corrugated iron.

Devon and Somerset County Councils, 2000-2002, Historic Farmsteads Database, BH150.2 (Machine readable data file). SDV349681.

Barn. Threshing barn. Later used as a cattle shed; threshing barn. A large threshing barn built down the hillslope on a north-south axis. It was originally 4- bays long, but has been much rebuilt in the 19th century and extended by one bay. It has opposing threshing doors and a full size cart doorway. It was reroofed in 1926. Its roof is half hipped. At its upper (north) end it has an enclosed 1- bay section reached through a doorway through the north end wall, and a loft, once used as a granary, which is accessible from the barn. The area to the south of the site of the threshing floor was last used to house cattle, but was originally used to unload carts and store unthreshed corn. Limestone; rubble stone walls. The quoins and dressings are limestone. Corrugated iron roof. Originally thatched. Cruck truss; Tie Beam Truss. The posts of two side- pegged jointed cruck trusses survive, in the west wall on either side of the rear threshing door. The posts reach the ground and there is a mortise in one for a screen wall, along the south side of the threshing floor. The 6-bay replacement roof is of tie beam trusses with king ties and dates from 1926. Notched, mortise and tenon apexes with single pegs. The east principals slightly oversail the west ones. There are notches in the topside of the east principals for one of the two diagonal ridges. Bolted lap-jointed collars. 3 sets of trenched purlins. The middle set sits in notches in the collars. Door/s; loading hatch; opposing doors to threshing floor. Granary. The north end bay and a half is divided from the barn by a stone rubble wall to loft height and a boarded loft wall with a door through at first floor level. The ground floor is reached from a door through the north end wall. The loft has timber corn bins and was used as a granary. There is evidence that the two southern bays were once lofted. There is the stub of a beam plus a ledge in the masonry of the south wall. Currently disused.

Thorp, J., 2003, Membury Court, BH150016 (Ground Photograph). SDV352186.

Thorp, J., 2003, Membury Court, BH150021-BH150024 (Un-published). SDV352187.

Devon Buildings Group, 2005, Devon Buildings Group 2005 Conference. Farms in the Blackdown Hills (Un-published). SDV340140.

The barn, with its opposing threshing doors, is impressively large. Built of local ruble stone with limestone dressings and guoins. Rebuilt in the late 18th, early 19th century and extended to the north. Two cruck posts from the medieval roof survive to either side of the rear threshing door. The roof was replaced in 1926.

Ordnance Survey, 2013, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV350786.

English Heritage, 2013, National Heritage List for England (National Heritage List for England). SDV350785.

Barn approximately 50 yards west of Membury Court.

Barn. Circa late 18th century or early 19th century stone rubble barn. Low pitched corrugated iron half hipped roof. Two cart entrances at centre with modern doors. Loft door at south end. Included for group value.

Historic England, 2015, National Heritage List for England (National Heritage List for England). SDV358087.

See list description for full details.

Historic England, 22/06/2015, Membury Court Project Decision Notifications: Barn (Correspondence). SDV358638.

After examining all the records and other relevant information and having carefully considered the
architectural and historic interest of this case, the barn approximately 50 yards west of Membury Court
continues to merit listing at Grade II, and an amended description should be issued.
REASONS FOR DESIGNATION DECISION
An amendment for the barn approximately 50 yards west of Membury Court, Membury, Devon, a C18
threshing barn with C19 alterations is recommended for the following principal reasons:
* Clarity: to more fully describe the building and articulate its special interest in line with current
practice.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4580 - Buildings at Risk Survey
• EDV4654 - Buildings at Risk Re-Survey

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