A barnstorming success story

12:31pm Thursday 2nd October 2008

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A 500-year-old barn has been lovingly restored following help from Natural England.

The large cruck-frame barn, on Court Farm in Aylton, near Ledbury, was built in 1503 and had been in danger of collapse for the best part of 70 years.

“It was in a very dilapidated state and had been unsafe since the 1930s.

Farm Owner: Ian Jones

But Natural England, through its Higher Level Stewardship Scheme, has helped fund the repair work and it is now ready to be used in its traditional agricultural sense, as well as having the possibility of staging exhibitions.

“We’re delighted with it,” said farm owner Ian Jones.

“It was in a very dilapidated state and had been unsafe since the 1930s.

“We first thought about repairing it in 2002 so it’s been a long process.”

The barn is a Grade-II listed structure and of great structural significance, mainly because of its cruck-frame, which is formed from curved oak timbers.

It is one of the oldest and largest barns of its kind in the county.