A Timber-framed Buckinghamshire Barn
Hill Farm Barn was designed for threshing – separating crops such as wheat into different parts called grain, chaff and straw. The process is where we get the saying “to separate the wheat from the chaff”. Wheat grain is used to make flour, and chaff and straw make good animal feed and bedding.
It forms the centrepiece of our Victorian Chiltern farmstead.
Where Did the Barn Come From?
Hill Farm Barn didn’t have to be moved far. It was originally located at Hill Farm in Chalfont St Peter, just a few miles from the museum.
The farm was surrounded by houses and was going to be knocked down so they could build some more. It was the first building to be dismantled for removal to the museum in 1976.
The barn was placed to form the northern boundary of our farmstead and was re-erected in 1985 as a memorial to the late Joan Amsden, a founder member and director of the Museum.
How Old is Hill Farm Barn?
Hill Farm Barn is Victorian but detective work is needed to discover the exact date. The barn is painted with tar to keep the liquid out. Farmers bought tar locally, and the nearest tar works in Rickmansworth didn’t open until 1854. The barn must have been built after this.