Middle Littleton Tythe Barn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Middle Littleton Tithe Barn |
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| General information | |
| Type | Tithe Barn |
| Address | Middle Littleton, Evesham, Worcestershire |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 52°07′19″N 1°53′05″W / 52.12185°N 1.88473°W |
| Construction started | 12th or 13th century |
| Owner | National Trust |
| Height | 40 feet (12 m) |
| Dimensions | |
| Other dimensions | 130 feet (40 m) long, 42 feet (13 m) wide |
| Designations | Grade I listed |
The Middle Littleton Tithe Barn is a very old and important building. It is located in the village of Middle Littleton, near Evesham in Worcestershire, England. This huge barn was built a long time ago, either in the 1200s or 1300s. It is one of the biggest and most famous tithe barns in all of England.
The barn is made from strong local stones called Blue Lias and Cotswold stone. Its roof is covered with stone tiles. It was originally built for Evesham Abbey, which was one of the largest abbeys in England. Today, the National Trust owns and looks after the barn, and you can visit it.
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History of the Barn
Historians are not completely sure exactly when the Middle Littleton Tithe Barn was built. Some believe it was constructed in the 1200s, while others think it was in the 1300s. One record suggests it might have been built in 1376 by a person named Abbot John Ombersley from Evesham Abbey.
What is a Tithe Barn?
The barn was used to store 'tithes'. A tithe was a payment, usually one-tenth of a person's farm produce or income, given to the church or abbey. So, this barn held all the crops and goods collected for Evesham Abbey. The huge size of the barn shows how important and wealthy Evesham Abbey was back then. It was the third largest abbey in England before the Dissolution of the Monasteries. This was a time in the 1500s when many monasteries and abbeys in England were closed down.
Other Abbey Buildings
Even though Evesham Abbey was closed, some parts of it still exist today. Besides the tithe barn, you can still see two churches, a bell tower, a cloister arch, and the Almonry Museum and Heritage Centre.
How the Barn Was Built
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The Middle Littleton Tithe Barn is built from Blue Lias stone, with special Cotswold stone used for details and edges. It has a strong roof structure with three main beams called purlins, and the roof is covered with stone tiles.
Over the years, the building has been changed a few times. For example, some parts of the roof that stuck out, called gables, were removed in the Victorian period. However, many smaller gables with fancy clover-leaf decorations, called finials, are still there. The barn also has many strong supports on its outside walls, known as buttresses, which help hold up the heavy stone structure.
Visiting the Barn
The Middle Littleton Tithe Barn is a very important historical building. It was given a special status called Grade I listed on July 30, 1959. This means it is considered a building of exceptional interest and is protected.
Today, the barn is owned by the National Trust. It is open to the public, so people can visit and learn about its history and amazing architecture.
