Project background

In early 2010 the agricultural buildings at Greensted House Ongar burnt to the ground. Of the stables, bull pen and 18C barn, sadly only the masonry walls remained.

---

The oak framed barn before the fire

The bull pen linking the barn to the right and the stable block to the left

The rear elevation of the oak framed stable block

The stable block was constructed of red brick up to eaves height with an oak roof structure of five queen post trusses, a gable frame and a half hipped end which had been destroyed along with the closed studded internal partitions. Whilst the walls remained intact they were in a precarious state and needed to be stabilised urgently.

The stable block after the devastating fire

The front elevation of the stables shortly after the fire

The front wall of the stable block after stabilising work had been carried out

The main barn and the bull pen that formed a link to the stables were on plinth walls which whilst fire damaged were largely in reasonable order. The barn had been constructed over five bays with a half hip to each end.

This type of project presents different challenges to that of conservation of an existing frame or an entirely new building. In many ways it is the marriage of skills from both areas of specialisation. Whilst there is no existing frame to conserve we have to be very mindful that the new frame will have to sit on the foot print of the original buildings or in this case onto the masonry walls. Therefore it is often necessary to build the structures out of square or out of plumb.

The oak framed barn just after the fire, the opening in the plinth wall is where the double doors had been (see picture at top of page).

Whilst the original intention was to adopt a line of best fit for the stable it transpired that the walls were too badly deflected (a combination of age and fire damage) for this to be a practical option. As such the walls of the new frames have been built to accommodate these discrepancies and the difference made up in the rafters in order to give the building a consistent ridge line.

The project is being phased. The frame for the stable block is now erected on site. The bull pen will be going up in January and the main barn shortly afterwards.