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Summary

Late 16th or early 17th century barn which had its origins as a cow shed. It is a long rectangular structure with a modern stable block attached to the east side, and forms the east side of a farm complex.

Location

Protected Status

• Local List: Gladhayes Farm Building

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BARN (XVI to XX - 1501 AD to 2000 AD (Between))

Full description

de Villiers, S, + Whitton, C., 07/2015, Barn at Gladhayes Farm, Clayhiddon, Devon (Report - Survey). SDV359473.

An historic building record of a barn at Gladhayes Farm, Clayhidon, Devon, was prepared by AC archaeology in June 2015 prior to conversion to residential use. The work followed on from an earlier historic building evaluation, which concluded that the barn was a probable late 16th-century cowhouse.

The barn is a long rectangular structure with a modern stable block attached to its east side. The latter is constructed of concrete blocks and wooden panelling under a slightly pitched corrugated iron roof. The barn is aligned roughly north-northwest to south-southeast, but for the purposes of this report it is described as north-south aligned. The exterior walls are constructed of subangular chert, laid in rough courses, bonded in a hard cream-white mortar. They are topped with a layer of cob, about 0.60m high, finished externally with cement render.

The partition (Fig. 2a; Plates 1-3) The evaluation of the barn concluded that the partition at the south end of the barn was a secondary feature as it is separate from the fabric of the exterior walls. However, the position of the adjacent doorways indicated that it was an early feature, possibly added soon after the shell of the structure was built, but before the barn was completed.

The partition wall is constructed from several materials. The lower portion is chert masonry bonded in lime mortar with patches of repair in cement, and a large area of cement render on its north face. The stone masonry is identical to the barn's external walls. Above this is a layer of cob with a high clay content. The cob has crumbled at the edges and no longer reaches the side walls. It was previously covered with lime plaster and a small portion of this survives on the east side.

On top of this cob is a horizontal wooden beam which forms the base of the wooden frame in the upper part of the partition. The wooden frame continues to the apex, and is formed from vertical wooden posts or studs with panels infilled with cob. These are covered by nailed horizontal laths that hold the cob in place but primarily supported a layer of lime plaster. Both the laths and plaster only partially survive. The cob within the panels has less clay than the cob in the lower part of the partition and a much more mixed character. The frame is not as wide as the lower portion of the wall; it is flush with the wall on its north face but is set back from the wall on its south face. In the upper part of the partition on the north side the vertical posts stand proud of the lime plastered panels which are recessed in this area. A central gap in the lath and plaster had been thought to be an original opening but closer examination has shown it to be a later feature. The opening has been created by removing part of one of the vertical posts and two panels of cob; the socket for thevertical stud is visible in the horizontal beam below.

A close study of the roof has indicated that it is later than the date put forward in the evaluation. It has some early elements, such as the through purlins, but the use of nails for most of the joints would indicate a later post-medieval rather than 16th century date (as previously put forward). The structure is probably 17th- or perhaps early 18th-century date. This would tie in with the analysis of the thatch, which indicates a pre-late 18th-century date, after which the development of shorterstemmed wheat reduced the use of straw for thatching.

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

Barn shown as rectangular building to south of farmhouse at Gladhayes Farm.

de Villiers, S + Passmore, A., 2014, Barn at Gladhayes Farm, Clayhidon, Devon: Results of an Historic Building Evaluation (Report - Survey). SDV357406.

The barn has its origins as a cow shed, probably in the late 16th century. It remained in such use until it fell into disuse, although part of the main barn has recently been utilised for storage. It is a long rectangular structure with a modern stable block attached to the east side, and forms the east side of a farm complex, with other agricultural buildings situated to the north and west of the yard. The walls are built of subangular chert, laid in rough courses, with a hard cream-white mortar, and have a layer of cob, about 0.60m high, on top of them. The reason for this unusual form is unclear; it may have formed part of the original build or may have been used to heighten the walls at a later date. The barn is formed of seven bays (as defined by the roof trusses), and has a partition wall separating two bays at the southern end. The roof is hipped at both ends and currently covered with corrugated iron sheets. The supporting structure is formed from six principal rafters, with their apexes obscured by saddles supporting diagonal ridge purlins. The architectural features of the roof structure – the saddles supporting the ridge purlin, the through purlins, and the pegged joints of the collar – are all indicators of an early date. The former can be of medieval date, whilst the latter probably dates to no later than the early 17th century. Overall, a probable date in the later 16th century seems likely. See report for full details.

Ordnance Survey, 2014, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV355681.

Mid Devon District Council, 2014, Mid Devon Local List Register of Heritage Assets - East, Gladhayes Farm Barn, Clayhidon (Local List - Register of Heritage Assets). SDV356891.

Gladhayes Farm Barn, Clayhidon.
Description: Gladhayes is first recorded in 1330. The barn is visible on the 1838 Tithe map and the 1889 Ordnance Survey map. The barn can be dated to the 16th century and no later than the early 17th century due to the roof structure. The original roof covering was thatch and the lower layers of this survive across 60% of the barn, attached to rafters with spars. Much of the historic structure of the roof remains: such as the saddles supporting the ridge purlin, the through purlins and the pegged joint of the collar. The historic structure of the roof is the main reason for the inclusion as a locally listed non-designated heritage asset.

Grid Reference: 315267/114144
Source: Catherine Marlow (Conservation Officer, MDDC)

Mid Devon District Council, 2014, Register of Heritage Assets, Gladhayes Farm Building (Local List - Register of Heritage Assets). SDV356889.

Gladhayes Farm Building.
Importance: Old barn dating to 16th century.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6609 - Historic Building Evaluation of a Barn at Gladhayes Farm, Clayhidon, Devon (Ref: ACD858)
• EDV6925 - Building Recording, Barn at Gladhayes Farm, Clayhiddon, Devon (Ref: ACD1138/2/1)

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