Great House Barn
Encyclopedia
Great House Barn is a 16th century barn and Listed building in Rivington
, Lancashire
, England. Built as a tithe barn
it is believed to be one of the oldest of its type in the county and is now a Grade II listed building.
framing of oak
, the original building is of at the latest 16th century construction but is likely to be older. Major changes were made to the building by Thomas Anderton, the owner in 1702. The west gable of the barn is dated 1702 but is possibly older and has the initials A TAR (Thomas, Alice, and Robert Anderton).
By the early 20th century the Rivington Hall
, farm and barns were owned by Lord Leverhulme
and on his instructions the architect Jonathan Simpson made further substantial alterations to the barn. Architecturally, the barn is as Leverhulme had it restored, with the cruck beams infilled with sandstone block walls and a slate roof. The Tudor-style timber-framed porch and mullion windows are 20th century additions
During the Second World War the barn was used by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
as a food storage depot.
The barn is owned by Salmons and is a cafe and forms part of an information centre about the Leverhulme estate.
Rivington
Rivington is a small village and civil parish of the Borough of Chorley, Lancashire, England, occupying . It is about southeast of Chorley and about northwest of Bolton. Rivington is situated on the fringe of the West Pennine Moors, at the foot of Rivington Pike...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, England. Built as a tithe barn
Tithe barn
A tithe barn was a type of barn used in much of northern Europe in the Middle Ages for storing the tithes - a tenth of the farm's produce which had to be given to the church....
it is believed to be one of the oldest of its type in the county and is now a Grade II listed building.
History
Built using cruckCruck
A cruck or crook frame is a curved timber, one of a pair, which supports the roof of a building, used particularly in England. This type of timber framing consists of long, generally bent, timber beams that lean inwards and form the ridge of the roof. These posts are then generally secured by a...
framing of oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
, the original building is of at the latest 16th century construction but is likely to be older. Major changes were made to the building by Thomas Anderton, the owner in 1702. The west gable of the barn is dated 1702 but is possibly older and has the initials A TAR (Thomas, Alice, and Robert Anderton).
By the early 20th century the Rivington Hall
Rivington Hall
Rivington Hall is a Grade II* Listed building located in Rivington, Lancashire, England. It was the manor house for the Lords of the Manor of Rivington. The hall is of various builds as successor to a fifteenth-century timber-framed courtyard house that was built near to the present building of...
, farm and barns were owned by Lord Leverhulme
William Lever, 1st Viscount Leverhulme
William Hesketh Lever, 1st Viscount Leverhulme was an English industrialist, philanthropist, and politician....
and on his instructions the architect Jonathan Simpson made further substantial alterations to the barn. Architecturally, the barn is as Leverhulme had it restored, with the cruck beams infilled with sandstone block walls and a slate roof. The Tudor-style timber-framed porch and mullion windows are 20th century additions
During the Second World War the barn was used by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food was a United Kingdom government department created by the Board of Agriculture Act 1889 and at that time called the Board of Agriculture, and then from 1903 the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, and from 1919 the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries...
as a food storage depot.
The barn is owned by Salmons and is a cafe and forms part of an information centre about the Leverhulme estate.