Bredon Tithe Barn

Bredon Tithe Barn

Bredon tithe barn is a superb medieval stone barn, now administered by the National Trust. The barn was built in the 14th century of local Cotswold stone. The chimney cowling is unique, as is the wide, aisled interior that gives the barn the air of a medieval church.

What makes the barn so interesting is that it has been almost completely unaltered since the 14th century.

There is a pair of large timber-framed porches on the east side (which is the only side accessible to visitors). A set of external stairs leads up to a bailiff's solar, or private chamber, over one of the porches.

The interior is divided into nine bays delineated by timber posts set on stone plinths. The overall size of the barn is roughly 130 x 40 feet. The roof is of huge and heavy Cotswold stone tiles.

The barn interior

Note that though it is often called Bredon Tithe Barn, it was never actually a tithe barn at all. It was a threshing barn, built around 1350 for the Bishops of Worcester, who owned the manor.

The barn can be tricky to find; it is located just west of the church, on the outskirts of the village, down a narrow unpaved lane leading to Manor Farm. There is a National Trust sign, but it is set back from the road and can be obscured by foliage, so keep a sharp eye open!

You cannot enter the barn - at least, I've never been able to and I've visited 3 times. You can, however, climb the very worn stairs to the solar and peer through a slatted wooden opening looking into the barn interior.

Its the sheer scale of the Bredon barn that makes it so impressive. The corner buttresses bracing the gable end are simply huge, and the twin bays projecting outwards are large enough to be houses in their own right.

Clearly, the barn was meant to process and store a great deal of grain, but also to be an impressive statement of the Bishop's wealth and status.

Do take time to explore the nearby church, and wander about the village to see the wonderful collection of timber-framed and thatched buildings.