Barn and adjoining roundhouse, Holnicote Estate

Summary

A threshing barn and roundhouse (or Horse Engine House) are part of the buidlings at Brandish Street Farm and are Listed together as Grade II. They date from the late C18-early C19 and built of red sandstone and random rubble, with a slate roof over the barn and thatch over the roundhouse. The roundhouse was used as a dog kennel when surveyed in 1993.

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Description

The Roundhouse (Horse Engine House) and Threshing Barn were listed Grade II. And described as: 'Barn and horse engine house, now store house. Late C18-early C19. Red sandstone random rubble, slate roofed barn, thatched round house. Plan: double threshing barn with porches on south-west side flanking coeval horse engine house. Seven bay barn, 4 collar beam trusses, 2 principal rafters with tie beams; circular horse engine house without main beam for engine, 2 rectangular unglazed openings and square headed entrance on north front'. [1]

The Roundhouse and Threshing Barn (Buildings 12 and 11) were surveyed as part of the Brandish Street Farm VBS survey in 1993 and are described below as:

Roundhouse, now dog kennel: Round single storey building, butting onto Threshing Barn between two doorways on south side, conical roof of thatch. On north side the roof runs under barn eaves and gutter, some water problems exist. Walls smallish rubble stone. Southwest entrance widened, west jamb a rebuild. Lintel across each opening carried rafters, over enlarged opening also supports a truss blade. Some ribbon pointing which does not help the building, this should be removed and lime mortar used. Chain with ring hangs round crossing of scissor blades. Three openings in threshing barn wall ( one blocked with rubble stone, one open and the third with a top-hung shutter) and a large funnel-shaped hopper are all that remain as hints to the former function of the roundhouse. Mid/ late 19c, not shown on the 1841 Selworthy Tithe map but on the farm plan drawn up between 1876 and 1889. The 1876 Holnicote Estate map seems to copy the Tithe map and not necessarily show small additions to buildings, the map evidence suggests c. 1880 but this seems late to add a building of this function and shape to a barn. Sir Thomas, Xth baronet, and mid 19c seem a more likely answer. Reroofed mid/ late 20c, replacing timbers, but thatch still used as cover. The previous roof had a ridge running into the barn roof, with leaded valleys at the junction. Important Features: listed building Grade II with threshing barn, external appearance with thatched roof, openings in barn wall. In a good state of repair.

Threshing Barn, now barn/ grain store: Large rectangular building, gable-ended, having two pairs of threshing doors, all with cheeks and roof extended down over them. Roundhouse on centre part of rear, south elevation. Wagon House butts onto the east end of the north elevation, forming the east side of the yard, the Threshing Barn the south and the Cattle Sheds the west. The north side of the yard has a stone rubble wall separating it from the lane. Yard now concreted, was cobbled. Engine House on west end of south elevation. Cottage garden wall curves round and butts on rear south end of east wall. Roof of slate with collared ridge tiles. Walls of north elevation all red sandstone, random rubble construction, with larger squared stones in quoins and jambs. South side with red and grey/ green stone mixed, quoins and jambs of roughly squared stone. The west elevation has a blocked doorway and three sockets for roof timbers for a lean-to. Round metal drive shaft and pulleys run along southwest end of barn just above eaves height, from opposite Roundhouse, where supported by bracket on timber post, to dragon beam across southwest corner. Six pulley wheels of varying sizes on shaft. 18c/ early 19c, shown on the 1809-12 Holnicote Survey and mentioned in 'Farm House, Barn, Court and Outhouses'. On the 1841 Selworthy Tithe map and all subsequent maps. Roundhouse added to centre part of south elevation mid 19c. 20c re-roofed, probably second half of century. Late 20c, floor concreted, east threshing floor and north part of west replaced with concrete. Important features: listed grade II with roundhouse, external appearance, barn doors, remains of west threshing floor ( 14 planks), remains of barn machinery. In a good state of repair - some door hinges need attention. [2]

An archaeological Survey was undertaken at Brandish Street Farm, one of a series of farm surveys on the Holnicote estate. It assessed the archaeology and history for the farm using maps and other documentary sources. [3]

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