| Summary : Harmondsworth Barn is a tithe barn generally considered to have been built in the 14th century however more recent study considers it to be between 1424 and 1427. It is located in the village of Harmondsworth, Hillingdon, Greater London and was constructed by the carpenter William Kyppynge. The barn is 58.21m (191ft) in length and 11.58m (38ft) wide and was divided into three floors. The walls of the building are made up of 'conglomerate' (pudding-stone) which was local to the area. The open plan roof is made up of oak and the body of the barn is divided into a nave and aisles by two rows of oak pillars that lie on blocks of sandstone. The barn formed part of a medieval manorial estate, and was an important feature of everyday life as a grain and goods storage facility which was a stronghold economic activity of the period. An increase in the bulk of the harvest and a need for a symbol of prestige for the new land ownership dictated the need for a new, large barn. John atte Oke was chosen to source the wood that would be needed to build the barn and William Kyppynge, the carpenter of Winchester College, was chosen to complete the construction.William Kyppynge inspected timber from Kingston-on-Thames which may have supplemented smaller supplies from nearby Ruislip. It is thought that other material for the construction of the barn may have been salvaged and reused from a previous structure that previously occupied the site. The techniques used to construct the barn demonstrate the practices of medieval carpentry. The original setting out lines for joints and frames and other reference lines for identifying timbers and joints have survived. There are also mason's marks, interlocking circle designs, which can be found on stone bases, door openings and on one of the tie beams.Harmondsworth Barn is a good example of a complete and original pre-Reformation building in Britain. The building lies in a Conservation Area. |
More information : Harmondsworth Barn is a tithe barn considered to have been built in the 14th century however more recent study considers it to be between 1424 and 1427.
The site of the barn and its surrounding area has a long history, going back to the Norman Conquest, and it is probable that the present barn was laid on pre-existing foundations of a former barn. The present barn formed part of a medieval manorial estate, and was an important feature of everyday life as a grain and goods storage facility; a stronghold of economic activity of the period. Harmondsworth Manor was originally owned by Harold Godwinson, earl and King of England in 1066. William the Conqueror shortly afterwards granted the manor to the Benedictine abbey of the Holy Trinity at Rouen in 1069. William of Wykeham, bishop of Winchester Cathedral from 1397-1404, was granted permission by the Pope to buy the settlement of Harmondsworth in 1391. Wykeham granted the area to his College at Winchester. An increase in the bulk of the harvest and a need for a symbol of prestige for the new land ownership dictated the need for a new barn and the present Harmondsworth Barn was built between 1424 and 1427. John atte Oke was chosen to source the wood that would be needed to build the barn and William Kyppynge, the carpenter of Winchester College, was chosen to complete the construction. (1)
Although the barn is generally considered to have been built between 1424 and 1427, other sources cite it as being built earlier; no later than 1375 (2) and in the 14th century. (3)
The barn is 58.21m (191ft) in length and 11.58m (38ft) wide and was divided into three floors. The barn features a stone plinth made up of ‘conglomerate’ (pudding-stone) which was local to the area. There is timber framing above this which is covered in weatherboarding. The building has a half hipped open plain tile roof at the southern end with a gablet. The northern end of the building is hipped. The interior of the roof is made up of oak and the body of the barn is divided into a nave and aisles by two rows of oak pillars that lie on blocks of sandstone. According to historical records, the present barn used to be much larger; originally there was a tithe barn that formed a north wing of the building. This was moved c.1877 and rebuilt at Heathrow, a mile and half southeast of Harmondsworth Church.
The barn passed from the ownership of William Wykeham to the Crown in 1544 and was granted to Sir William Paget, Secretary of State, by Edward VI in 1547. The Earl of Uxbridge, a descendant of Paget, sold the barn in 1855 and it went over to the property of Mr Wools. (4)
There was a shortage of suitable timber in the area that could be used to construct the barn. Much of the timber in the area had been taken during the Hundred Years War for work on the royal palaces and the Tower of London. John atte Oke along with the carpenter William Kyppynge inspected timber from Kingston-on-Thames which may have supplemented smaller supplies from nearby Ruislip. It is thought that other material for the construction of the barn may have been salvaged and reused from a previous structure that previously occupied the site.
A fire in 1972 caused damage to the southern end of the barn and rebuilding took place to repair this. Repairs were also carried out on the building in 1976. (5)
The techniques used to construct the barn demonstrate the practices of medieval carpentry. The underside of the wallplate (the main horizontal timber at eaves level) was rebated for vertical boarding and mortised for a mid post where door opening are located. This indicates that the framing for the bays was inserted after the main frame of the building had been put in place. The original setting out lines for joints and frames and other reference lines for identifying timbers and joints have survived. There are also mason’s marks, interlocking circle designs, which can be found on stone bases, door openings and on one of the tie beams. One unusual carpentry practice is demonstrated by the frames and joints are set out from the centre lines rather than from the faces which is more typical of French methods than typical English practice.
The fact that the building was continuously used for agricultural purposes up until the 1970s has helped to maintain its original character. (6)
Harmondsworth Barn is an example of a complete and original pre-Reformation building in Britain and its exceptional size for the period in which it was constructed and its demonstration of medieval carpentry had made the building a grade I listed building and a Scheduled Ancient Monument. (7) However the building was de-scheduled on 19th October 2009 in favour of retaining single designation of a listed building. (8)
Harmondsworth Barn is a grade I listed building. For further details on the designation see the statutory data. (9)
At the time of amending this record in 2012, access to information on the designation noted in source 9 above is available via the National Heritage List for England. (10)
According to English Heritage’s Corporate GIS the building is located in a Conservation Area. The National Grid Reference for the building is: TQ0563177847 (11)
In 2012 it was announced that English Heritage has purchased Harmondsworth Barn and the building has become part of its National Collections. (12) |