Barn and attached cowshed at Cheeseman's Green Farm, Kingsnorth, Kent

Summary

Aisled barn and cowshed/stables. Barn probably C17 in date with later replacement of some timbers and other additions. C20 replacement of roof covering and timber. Cowshed probably later, C18, again with C20 replacement of roof covering.

Description

MATERIALS: timber-framed with weatherboarded sides and corrugated metal roofs.

PLAN: the barn and cowshed form a loose L-shaped farmyard with the farmhouse detached to the south. The barn is of three bays, aisled on all four sides. The cowshed is set at right angles to the barn at its northern end, also of three bays.

EXTERIOR: both the barn and cowshed have hipped roofs with corrugated metal sheeting. The barn has a cart entrance on the east elevation, with a flat projecting roof and plank stable-type doors. The east elevation has a single window. The barn is weatherboarded on the east and south elevations with replacement corrugated metal cladding on the remaining elevations.

The cowshed is weatherboarded on the south and east elevations and metal clad on the others. It has a short stretch of stone walling at the western end of the south elevation. This elevation has three entrances, two with the lower halves of stable doors, and a triple-light window.

INTERIOR: The aisled barn has four common trusses with diagonal braces supporting the wall plates and tie beams. The jowled aisle posts are set on a mixture of masonry and timber sills extending into the aisles. The principal rafters have collar beams clasping the purlins. Members are pegged with wooden dowels. The walls are close studded below the aisle plate.

The aisles are divided by timber partitions of weatherboarding at the posts. The southern bay of the east aisle is completely enclosed by weatherboarded partitions. This forms a room which extend into the main part of the barn, with an internal scantling roof structure descending from the wall plate and a timber floor. The southern and central bays of the west aisle have brick grain bins with timber lintels and partitions. A low masonry wall with a truncated post at the end projects into the barn at the centre of the north aisle, which has a brick floor.

The cowshed has a roof of light rafters springing directly from the wall plate. Tie beams are mostly replacements and there is a later double ridge piece. Reinforcement has been made to various parts of the frame, with additional timbers inserted. Stalls are divided by substantial timber framed partitions.

History

Cheeseman’s Green Farm probably originated as a farmstead in the C17 and the barn is likely to date from this period. The cowshed, or possibly stable, is a later addition, C18 in date as indicated by the lighter timbers used in its construction. The buildings are shown in their current footprint on the First Edition Ordnance Survey map of 1871.

Reasons for Listing

The barn and attached cowshed at Cheeseman's Green Farm, Mersham, Kent, dating from the C17 and C18, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Architectural interest:

* The barn is a good example of the type of aisled barn characteristic of the area, and which retains a significant proportion of pre-1840 fabric. The cowshed shows the later development of the farmstead and also retains a significant proportion of pre-1840 fabric.

Historic interest:

* The buildings contribute to our understanding of the historic agricultural economy of the region.

Group value:

* The farmhouse, barn and cowshed have functional group value and are historically associated with each other as part of the steading.

External Links

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