Barn to the north of Nos 143 and 145, Melton High Street, Wath upon Dearne, Rotherham

Description

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 4 January 2022 to update the name and address and to reformat the text to current standards

1026/0/10016

West Melton
MELTON HIGH STREET
Barn to the north of Nos 143 and 145

16-OCT-08

GV
II

Barn, substantially no later than mid C18. Hewn oak framed roof structure of C17 or earlier date covered with much later Welsh slates. Coursed, squared sandstone walling with quoined corners.

EXTERIOR

North elevation:
Openings are unevenly distributed across the five bays. Offset to the east of the central bay is a door for livestock (cattle or horses). This is unusual in form and has composite jambs supporting a segmental arch with skew-backs and a keystone, all rebated for an outward opening door. The current door is an internally hung sliding door which is not of special interest. Above, not quite symmetrically placed in relation to the doorway, are two stone framed pitching windows, with a third similar window within the westernmost bay. All of these windows would have had a timber shutter hung to one side as evidenced by drilled holes for pintols and catch. The central window is blocked with later stonework and the other two windows have later joinery that is not of special interest. The elevation also has a number of blocked arrow slit ventilation openings. The roof window is not of special interest.

South elevation:
This has a large, central entrance that is a C20 insertion that is not of special interest. The two single storey extensions to the barn are also not of special interest, nor is the roof window. The elevation does have two doorways that are part of the special interest of the building, although both appear to be insertions. One, to the left of the central entrance, has a deep stone lintel and another substantial stone forming part of one jamb. The second doorway is further to the west providing access to the later extension.

Gable ends:
These have ventilation slits, the west gable has a modern inserted doorway that is not of special interest.

INTERIOR
At the time of the inspection the southern-most bay was inaccessible, the ground and upper floor being separated off with stud walls to form an office accessed via the inserted west gable door. The rest of the building is undivided. The ground floor covering is mainly concrete but with an area of regular stone flags across the centre of the building, probably dating to the insertion of the large south doorway. The upper floor is mainly boarded over with modern sheet material, supported by a floor structure that is probably of C19 date with beams supporting floor joists, all of which are sawn softwood. The roof structure is effectively entirely of hewn oak that is traditionally jointed and pegged. It has a series of A frame trusses supporting a clasped, diamond set ridge beam and trenched, staggered purlins supporting common rafters that are also hewn oak. The form of the roof structure suggest that it is C17 in date, but might be earlier. Some of the timbers retain empty housings suggestive that the roof structure was part of an earlier timber framed building. The oak is bleached, indicative that the building housed livestock. The inner faces of the stone walls of the barn are white washed but not plastered. The stonework is noticeably rougher than the exterior face and includes some lengths of timber that are built into the wall, but do not appear to be lintels for blocked openings.

HISTORY
Little is known of the history of the barn. From the exterior, in style and construction, the building is certainly no later than the mid C18 in date. Some details of the roof structure (which is C17 or earlier in date) imply that it was originally a timber framed building that was later encased in stonework. It has some group value with 131/133 Melton High Street that was originally a timber framed aisled building. The barn is marked on the 1855 first edition 1:10560 Ordnance Survey map along with other buildings giving the appearance of a farm yard, although as it is not named as a farm on the map, and so it may have already passed out of agricultural use by this time. West Melton's open field system was enclosed by Parliamentary Enclosure in 1814. This rationalisation of landholdings may have resulted in the change in use of the building. The barn is known to have been used as a joiners shop in the C20.

REASON FOR DESIGNATION
The barn to the north of 143/145 Melton High Street is designated grade II for the following principal reasons:

* As a good example of a barn dating to no later than the mid C18 retaining features of architectural interest which allow an understanding of the original form and function of the building.
* For the particular interest of its oak roof structure that is considered to be C17 in date.
* For group value with the nearby house at 131-133 Melton High Street which also retains evidence of timber framing.

Reasons for Listing

The barn to the north of 143/145 Melton High Street is designated for listing grade II for the following principal reasons:

* As a good example of a barn dating to no later than the mid C18 retaining features of architectural interest which allow an understanding of the original form and function of the building.
* For the particular interest of its oak roof structure considered to be C17 or earlier in date.
* For group value with the nearby house at 131-133 Melton High Street which also retains evidence of timber framing.

External Links

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