Record Details
| NHER Number: | 17238 |
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| Type of record: | Building |
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| Name: | Dairy Farm Barn |
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Summary
The barn is a 15th century timber framed building on a brick plinth with a double queen post roof. Medieval barns of such good quality are rare and are normally related to ecclesiastical or monastic institutions.
Images - none
Location
| Grid Reference: | TM 2192 9918 |
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| Map Sheet: | TM29NW |
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| Parish: | NEWTON FLOTMAN, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK |
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Full description
Dairy Farmhouse Barn. Dairy Farm Cottages to east (formerly Newton Hall) now recorded separately as NHER 68126.
May 1981. Field Observation.
Visited by E. Rose (NAU).
Barn of five bays, aligned north-east to south-west, timber framed, wattle and daub part rendered, weatherboarded on north-west; north-east gable wall clad in corrugated iron on 18th- to 19th-century brick plinth; south-west gable wall rebuilt in modern brick. Magnificent roof; double queenpost truss on tie beams, between each bay. The tiebeams are canted. Each queenpost has both lateral and longitudinal arched braces, as have also the tiebeams; longitudinal arched braces also soring from the gable walls supporting the principal rafter on each side. The longitudinal arched braces in the walls each side of the tiebeams supporting the wallplate are inverted, and have mirror-image braces below them (though many of these have been replaced by later straight braces. Thatched roof. There are assembly marks on many beams, not easily made out. 18th-/19th-century brick cart porch added to centre of north-west side, opposite to cart doors in south-east wall (?also late). A small doorway, now blocked, is set towards north-east end of south-east wall. The end posts of the south-west gable should also be noted; they give an almost cruck-like appearance and rise from the sill beam which is unusually high off the ground.
The dating of such a building is very difficult, but it is at the latest 17th century, and could well be much earlier, even
of the late medieval period. Compare engravings of the now demolished Castleacre priory barn.
Two of the tiebeams have cracked, and one is supported on an inserted post; an unhewn tree trunk has been erected to support the roof; there are many struts against the posts; and part of the south-east wall has bowed outwards away from the frame. The barn is only in use as a wood store owing to danger of collapse.
Compiled by E. Rose (NAU), 12 May 1981. Information from file notes (S1).
P. Watkins (HES), 26 February 2024.
December 1983. Listed, Grade II*.
Listing Description excerpt:
"Barn. Circa 1500 and later. Part weather-boarded and part-rendered five-bay timber frame with thatched roof. Some 20th-century brick repairs. One cart entrance with a later midstrey opposite. Later lean-tos. Half-hipped roof. Double queen post roof with cambered arch-braced ties and collars. Jowled queen posts with three-way bracing. Clasped purlins of triangular section."
Information from (S2).
Please consult the National Heritage List for England (S2) for the current listing details.
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 23 February 2024.
June 1986. Field Observation.
Barn revisited by E. Rose (NAU).
Some more temporary supports inserted, otherwise no change. Note that the pair of trusses set centrally, i.e.
one each side of the main doorway, have moulded edges to the wallposts, the line of the moulding being continued by the edges of the braces to the tiebeam. S. Heywood (NCC) states the barn is unique in his experience.
[1] says that the farmhouse has two wallplates due to the roof having been raised on late knee braces; thus giving the misleading appearance of a jetty.
Compiled by E. Rose 27 June 1986. Information from file notes (S1).
P. Watkins (HES), 26 February 2024.
Drawn survey of barn, dated as 15th century, in file.
15th century timber framed building on a brick plinth with a double queen post roof. Medieval barns of such good quality are rare and are normally related to ecclesiastical or monastic institutions.
See (S3).
E. Rose (NAU), 25 July 1990.
Architects drawings (pre 1992) as large rolled plans.
E. Rose (NAU).
1992.
Building under restoration.
E. Rose (NLA).
15 October 1993. NLA air photography.
Site can be determined but buildings are not visible due to trees.
H. Clare (NLA), 21 February 2001.
Monument Types
- BARN (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
Associated Finds - none
Protected Status
Sources and further reading
| --- | Aerial Photograph: TM2199 A,B. |
| --- | Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1988. Move to protect ancient barn. 3 December. |
| --- | Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1993. TM 2299H. |
| --- | Drawing: Various. Various. Architectural plans. |
| --- | Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card. |
| --- | Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1990-1992. [Articles on the cutting rafters at Gunton Sawmill for the restoration project at Dairy Farm Barn]. |
| --- | Unpublished Document: Dairy Farm Barn, Shotesham Park, Newton Flotman.. |
| --- | Unpublished Document: 1992. Norfolk County Council Annual Report.. November. |
| --- | Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1992. Restorers take up challenge. 15 January. |
| --- | Monograph: Pevsner, N and Wilson, B. 1999. Norfolk 2: North-West and South. The Buildings of England. 2nd Edition. p 563; Pl 62. |
| --- | Photograph: Photographs of Hall Farm Barn, formally West Dairy Farm Barn, Newton Flotman. Black and white, and colour. |
| --- | Secondary File: Secondary File. |
| --- | *Rolled Plan: Large Plan Exists. |
| --- | Photograph: Rose, E.. BVW 11-13 Newton Hall Barn.. |
| <S1> | Collection: Norfolk Historic Environment Record Staff. 1975-[2000]. HER Record Notes. Norfolk Historic Environment Service. |
| <S2> | Designation: Historic England. National Heritage List for England. List Entry 1050707. |
| <S3> | Unpublished Document: Heywood, S. 1990. Dairy Farm Barn, Shotesham Park, Newton Flotman, Explanatory Notes to Accompany Drawings.. 16 May. |
Related records
| 68126 | Parent of: Dairy Farm Cottages, formerly Newton Hall (Building) |
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