Record Details

NHER Number:30804
Type of record:Building
Name:Late 13th-century barn at Hall Farm

Summary

Medieval timber-framed aisled barn. Tree-ring analysis indicates that the barn dates to the late 13th century, its timbers coming from trees that were felled in 1283. It is therefore Norfolk's oldest known timber-framed building. The brick walls were added in the 18th century. The thatched roof may date to the 20th century.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TG 4874 1679
Map Sheet:TG41NE
Parish:HEMSBY, GREAT YARMOUTH, NORFOLK

Full description

Said to be Norfolk's oldest known timber framed building, about AD 1300.
See (S1).
D. Gurney (NLA), 4 April 2005.

December 1987. Listed, Grade I.
Early 14th century aisled barn, 18th century brick walls added; some flint. Thatched. Two symmetrical cart doors to north with eyebrows over. Slit ventilators. Four stepped buttresses. Roof altered from gable to half hipped. South doors now blocked. Some 18th century brick piers throughout. On interior, brickwork changes from Flemish to English.
Eight bays, with seven pairs square section aisle posts on timber sole spurs from base of wallposts. Many now replaced in brick and wallposts removed in 18th century. Curved braces from both sides of aisle posts to arcade plate or to tiebeams. From aisle posts further spurs to wallplate of outer members. Curved passing braces rise from wallposts, trenched through wallplate spur, through aisle posts and tenon into underside of tiebeams. From latter queen struts rise to lower of two tiers butt purlins. No principal rafters or windbraces. Farmhouse demolished.
Information from (S2).
E. Rose (NLA), 15 August 1994.

However (S3) from Vernacular Architecture Group summer visit to Norfolk 1997 states roof is 20th century and comments on irregularity in the timbering.
E. Rose (NLA), 2 July 1997.

March 2012. Dendrochronology.
Tree-ring analysis of 23 samples obtained from different timbers.
Twelve of the samples produced a single site chronology with an overall length of 126 rings, dated as spanning the years AD 1158-1283. Interpretation of the sapwood on the dated samples indicates that these timbers were all probably cut as part of a single act of felling in AD 1283 (with construction of the barn presumably occurring shortly afterwards). The remaining samples are all ungrouped and undated.
See reports (S4) and (S5).
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 10 November 2016.

December 2016
Storm damaged gable-end was given consent to undertake repairs. These are underway.
S, Heywood (HES). 3 April 2017.

Monument Types

  • AISLED BARN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • TIMBER FRAMED BUILDING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

  • Listed Building

Sources and further reading

---Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1999. TG 4816AC - AE, AJ.
---Monograph: Pevsner, N. and Wilson, B. 1997. Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East. The Buildings of England. 2nd Edition. pp 546-547; Pl 30.
---Photograph: Norfolk County Council. Interior Hemsby Hall Barn. Print, b&w.
---Recording Form: Heywood, S. 1995. Norfolk County Council Site Record - Barn at Hall Farm, Hemsby.
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
<S1>*Verbal Communication: Heywood, S. 2005. [unknown].
<S2>Designation: Historic England. National Heritage List for England. List Entry 1216597.
<S3>Unpublished Document: Walker, J.. 1996. Hall Farm Barn, Hemsby.. December.
<S4>Unpublished Document: English Heritage Scientific Dating Team. Barn at Hall Farm, Hemsby, Norfolk: Interim summary of the Dendrochronological Analysis.
<S5>Monograph: Arnold, A. and Howard, R. 2015. Hall Farm Barn, Hall Lane, Hemsby, Norfolk. Tree-Ring Analysis of Timbers. Historic England Research Report Series. 41-2015.

Related records

MNO1103Related to: Barn at Hall Farm Hall Road HEMSBY (Revoked)

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