Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

A former oast house, probably assembled in the late C18 reusing some earlier timbers, dated 1801 on a brick on the N side, converted to residential use in 1992

Monument Types

• BARN (Post Medieval to Unknown - 1780 AD?)

Full description

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List entry Description

Summary of Building

A former oast house, probably assembled in the late C18 reusing some earlier timbers, dated 1801 on a brick on the N side, converted to residential use in 1992.

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Reasons for Designation

Farnley Little Barn, a late C18 timber-framed and brick former oast house, incorporating some earlier reused timbers, converted into living accommodation in the 1990s, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons: * Architectural interest: as a pre-1840 oast house - a regional agricultural building type - built of local materials, and an example of the rarer and earlier rectangular plan type with integral kiln; * Fittings: includes original unglazed diamond mullioned window with sliding shutter and plank doors, including one for external first floor access; * Dated building: added interest is given by the dated brick of 1801 with initials of the owner or occupier; * Degree of survival: the upper floor wall frame and roof structure remains substantially intact and the ground floor brickwork is little altered. .

History

This former agricultural building appears to have been assembled in the later C18 incorporating some reused timbers. A brick on the N side is inscribed with the date 1801 and the initials JC.

The building appears on the 1872 Ordnance Survey map to its present length but is shown twice as wide with a division across the width, likely to be an outshot which has since been removed. It is shown as part of a farmyard associated with Danewood, including a pond to the W, a smaller detached building to the S and a much larger building further S, probably a barn. The building has the same outline on the 1898 map, the pond is larger, the small building to the S has been replaced by a larger building and an additional building has been added on the W side of the farmyard.

A photograph of the building in about 1908, labelled Danewood Barn, shows the small cowl and fantail of an oast house protruding from the roof towards the N end, and a catslide roofed outshot attached on the E side.

An aerial view taken in the 1960s shows the building still in agricultural use with a fence separating it from the other buildings in the farmyard. Soon after this photograph was taken the large barn was demolished and replaced by a residence called Farnley; in 1992 planning permission was granted for converting the agricultural building into residential use, reusing the existing material and fittings where possible..

Details

A former oast house, probably assembled in the late C18 reusing some earlier timbers, dated 1801 on a brick on the N side, converted to residential use in 1992.

MATERIALS: the ground floor is of red brick in Flemish bond with some vitrified headers and a projecting plinth. The first floor is timber-framed, clad in weatherboarding with a half-hipped tiled roof.

PLAN: of two storeys and four bays. Until the early C20 there was an integral hop kiln to the N and stowage to the S. Access to the first floor was provided externally by a ladder to a door in the centre of the first floor on the W side. After 1992 the plan was altered to provide a living room and kitchen on the ground floor and two bedrooms and a bathroom above reached by an internal staircase.

EXTERIOR: the W side has four windows on the first floor, the southernmost an original unglazed diamond mullioned opening retaining its original internal wooden shutter, the other small wooden windows were added circa 1992. In the centre is a plank door with wooden latch and iron hinges accessed by a fixed ladder. The ground floor has a small wooden mullioned window of circa 1992 and towards the S side is a plank door in a wooden surround.

The N side has no window or door openings but has an inscribed brick dated 1801 with the initials J C.

The E side has two small late C20 wooden mullioned windows on the first floor. The ground floor has two larger wooden casement windows and a Dutch door towards the N end

The S side has no window or door openings.

INTERIOR: the living room has three axial ceiling beams, the central one strengthened, and ceiling joists of thin scantling. The floor is laid with late C20 floor tiles. A circa 1992 winder staircase immediately N of the entrance leads to the upper floor.

The first floor wall frame retains three of the four original corner posts, the wall plates and long diagonal tension braces to the bays except at the N end. The roof structure has pegged rafters, purlins and collar beams. The wooden floor and most of the window shutters, apart from the original southern one on the W wall, are of circa 1992. (1)

<1> Historic England, National Heritage List for England (Index). SKE29372.

Sources and further reading