Description

LEYBURN

1024/0/10003 LEYBURN SHAWL
05-AUG-08 Field Barn at NGR SE 1056990812

(Formerly listed as:
RISEBER LANE
LEYBURN SHAWL
OLD CHAPEL BARN)

II
Field barn, built or adapted as an eye-catcher or a functional folly, late C18 or early C19. Local rubble stone laid to courses with some quoins set on edge. Stone slate roof laid to diminishing courses to the stone ridge.

EXTERIOR
Crow-stepped gables with an additional merlon on each step to give a battlemented wall effect, these crow steps being a later addition. The north gable has a centrally placed round-arched recess to give the appearance of a blocked window (there is no evidence of an opening internally). The south gable has a similar round arched recess, the lower part forming a real window which at the time of the inspection retained an unglazed timber window frame with light glazing bars. To the right of this window there is a doorway. The east wall has two similar round-arched recesses that are not carried fully through the wall thickness. The lower part of the right-hand recess does form a square-headed window, but the left-hand recess appears as a fully blocked window externally and is not visible at all internally. At the northern, right-hand end of the wall there is another doorway. The west wall is blank.

INTERIOR
The field barn is divided into two internally by a central cross wall with a doorway both at ground and attic levels. The northern room is cobbled and was designed as a small cow byre. Socket holes indicate that it once had an attic floor. There is no evidence of an attic floor in the southern room which is thought to have been designed for hay storage. The roof structure is not original although it is traditionally constructed with pegged joints and includes carpenter's marks.

HISTORY
Although it is not known for certain when the barn was constructed or when it was turned into an eye catcher, it is likely to be late C18 or early C19 in date when the construction of such buildings was fashionable, as demonstrated by the many other examples surviving in Richmondshire. It is likely that there is some historical relationship between the barn and the folly which lies 425m to the east and is listed grade II as the Gothick folly to the north of Thornborough Hall. This folly was built in circa 1790 and it is likely that the field barn became an eye-catcher at around the same time, either as part of a wider scheme for Thornborough Hall or as part of a revival scheme by a neighbour. Because the barn's west wall is blank, it was clearly designed to be viewed from the east. It is also not known who commissioned the construction of the barn. An estate plan of 1778 shows that the area of land occupied by the barn (the area being known as Riseber), was then in the ownership of the Duke of Bolton. Unfortunately this plan does not depict any field barns or other similar small buildings. A later plan of 1822 does show small buildings and clearly depicts Old Chapel Barn. On this plan it is depicted shaded denoting that it was not owned by the Bolton Estate but was the freehold of someone else.

SOURCES
"A plan of lands in the township of Leyburn and Harmby belonging to his Grace the Duke of Bolton" 1778 (North Yorkshire Record Office)
"Plan of the Township of Leyburn in the North Riding of the County of York belonging to Lord Bolton" 1822 (North Yorkshire Record Office)

REASONS FOR DESIGNATION
The Field Barn at NGR SE 1056990812 is designated at grade II for the following principal reasons:

* It is a good, well preserved example of a late C18 or early C19 eye-catcher or functional folly
* It has a probable historical relationship with the grade II listed Gothick folly to the north of Thornborough Hall

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26671916

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
• 
  Cornwall (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)