Historic building recording at Spital Farm, Station Road, Tolleshunt D’Arcy, Essex, CM9 8HR: November 2023

A programme of historic building recording was carried out by Colchester Archaeological Trust of a barn complex at Spital Farm, Station Road, Tolleshunt D’Arcy, Essex. The structures recorded include a three-bay threshing barn, with a midstrey projecting to the north, three ancillary buildings and two lean-tos, arranged around a courtyard with a historic boundary wall. The cartographic evidence suggests that Spital Farm was built sometime between 1777 and 1840.
The barn has undergone some phases of rebuilding and consequently has differing techniques incorporated into its frame. The timbers used for the barn, both four-bay buildings, the six-bay building and lean-to 2 are mainly hand-sawn, some of which display signs of reuse. Despite the ever changing needs of agricultural buildings, the floor plan of the complex has changed very little since its inception.