| Description | Lower Benns Barn, Warley. Mid 17th century barn stone aisled barn part converted to a dwelling in the late 18th century.
'Timber framed, Coursed rubble with large quoins, but mainly rendered. Stone slate roof. Two storeys, although the second storey is only visible in the gable end since it is a two aisled long house, Five bays, 3 to the barn, 2 to the house, divided by a masonry wall which the hearth backs on to. King post trusses braced to ridge, on posts which are braced to both ties and to aisle plates: all intact. Principal elevation is in west gable end. Ground floor has two three light stone mullioned windows with unmoulded flat drip stones (both with mullions removed). First floor has two two light stone mullioned with hollow chamfers and one single light window. South elevation has one three light hollow chamfered stone mullioned window, and one much larger two light hollow chamfered stone mullioned window (mullion removed): from its size and the fact that the room it lights is heated this may have been the hall window. Barn entrances in recessed porches on cross axis. Group value'.
(English Heritage listed building description. Date listed 05/02/1981. http://list.english heritage.org.uk/resultsingle.aspx?uid=1273118. Web site accessed 15/01/2014).
Lower Benns was the subject of an archaeological assessment by Colum Giles in 1980 as part of the WYAS/RCHME Rural Houses Survey. The photographic images and sketch plan produced by the assessment are held by WYAAS (Giles, C. (WYAS/RCHME). 1980). The fieldwork report is transcribed below:
'This is a stone aisled barn, part of which was converted to a dwelling in, perhaps, the second half of the 18th century to give the common local house type; the laithe house.
The barn is aligned east west across the contour of the steep hillside. Where exposed, the masonry is in thin coursed rubble stonework. The roof slopes down to low eaves to both front and rear, indicating the existence of a double aisle. Three bays of the barn survive virtually intact. The barn was originally of five bays, but the two western bays have been lost to the house. The central of the five bays gives a through way, with wide doorways to the south and north. Two trusses survive within the barn; main posts, arcade plates, braces etc. show the aisled form very well. Above the tie beams the trusses differ; the easternmost truss has a king post and single 'V' braces, while the truss just to the east of the through way has principal rafters, a high collar and a short king post sitting on the collar and supporting the ridge. The difference is, presumably, to be explained by the need to clear the roof area of encumbrances such as the long king post, for much of the crop would have to pass through this truss next to the threshing floor on its way to be stored in the upper regions of the barn. The truss to the west of the threshing floor was removed when the two western bays were converted to domestic use and a stone dividing wall inserted.
The house part is of two cells and double pile on plan. Floors were inserted into the previously open barn. The main room is to the east heated by a fireplace on the east wall. Dividing this room from the room to the north is a screen of plank and muntin form; this is probably re used from an earlier house. Windows were inserted to light the new dwelling; they had cavetto moulded mullions which suggest they have been re used from another house'.
(Giles, C. (WYAS/RCHME). 1980. 'Lower Benns. Warley').
Lower Benns Barn was a feature of a Yorkshire Vernacular Buildings Study Group conference (date unknown). The conference literature contains plan and section drawings of Lower Benns (Yorkshire Vernacular Buildings Study Group. Undated. Annual conference brochure. Page 18). These are held by WYAAS. |