Listed Building: Goulding's Farm Barn (1401175)

Summary of Building A three bay, timber-framed barn of the late C16 or early C17, modified in the C19 and C20, aligned north-east to south-west with a C19 brick shelter shed attached to the west and a late-C20 brick addition facing south. Reasons for Designation The barn at Goulding's Farm, Rectory Road, Newton, Suffolk, is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons: * Architectural Interest: It retains a late-C16 or early-C17 midstrey, cross and wall framing and clasped purlin roof, and is of good quality construction, displaying original carpentry. * Intactness: Although the barn has had some small-scale alterations, it retains a significant proportion of the original, historic fabric. * Group Value: The barn has group value with Goulding's farm house listed at Grade II. History Goulding's Farm lies in an isolated position to the south of the village of Newton Green. Historic Ordnance Survey (OS) mapping indicates that from at least 1887 this small steading comprised a farm house and barn with an attached C19 shelter shed. In the mid C20, a few additional brick farm buildings were constructed and the barn itself was extended. The C17, timber-framed farm house was listed at Grade II in 1978. The barn is probably contemporary with the farm house and dates to the late-C16 or early-C17. A midstrey with a double door was added to the south-west elevation in the mid-C17; a smaller timber-framed lean-to at the east was probably the main pedestrian access into the barn. Most of the contemporary timber frame remains, but there has been some limited timber replacement to the hips of the roof and wall studs. The exterior was probably rendered originally, but was clad with weatherboard in the C19, and the roof covering, likely to have been thatch when the barn was constructed, has been replaced with corrugated metal sheets. In the late C20, a large, brick extension was built to the south, but partly overlies the historic structure rather than replaces it. Details Materials: Timber framed on a brick plinth and metal sheeting to the roof. Plan: Rectangular with a midstrey to the south-west and a smaller timber-framed lean-to at the east which was probably the main pedestrian access into the barn. A C20 barn added against the southern elevation of the earlier barn has no special interest. Exterior: The barn has a steep, hipped roof covered with metal sheeting. Pedestrian doorways were inserted through the external weatherboard cladding in the C19. Interior: The timber frame of the barn remains substantially intact and displays evidence of good carpentry. The wall frames have the sole plate, oak studs, (some of which have been replaced) and mid-rails in situ. The wall posts remain, some with their original arched corner braces to the mid-rails, and the wall plates and tie beams survive. Some of the posts and tie beams have iron straps. The roof structure comprises clasped purlins and retains four wind braces, collars and most rafters. The brick pamment flooring is exposed. Original wattle and daub panels survive in the midstrey and internal walls of the barn. The midstrey has a clasped purlin roof and gable wind-braces and the wall frames are largely intact. Selected Sources Article Reference - Author: Leigh Alston - Title: Goulding's Farm Barn, outline historical assessment. - Date: Undated