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Duke Photography
Commonly, the Great Barn at Titchfield has been referred to as the Tithe Barn.
A leading expert on wooden framed buildings in Hampshire, Edward Roberts, is unequivocal that it is a monastic Manorial Barn, and the term ‘Tithe’ is a misnomer, a view supported by Aston in his 1993 book, Monasteries.
There does not seem to be much difference, practically or technically, between ‘Manorial’ and’ Tithe’, with reference to barns, as they both refer to the storage of food provisions, usually quoted as corn, acquired from local land. In the instance of the barn of Titchfield Abbey, the corn would come from both manorial demesnes and tenants. In consequence, for this monograph, the term ‘Great Barn’ is used.
For many years it had been thought that the Titchfield Great Barn was built in the late 15th. Century, but, recent dendrochronology examinations (1998 – Miles and Worthington) of the timbers in the walls and roof has attributed a felling date of 1408/9.
Allowing for accumulating sufficient timber, the actual build was probably started in 1410 and, considering the size and complexity of the structure, and the comparatively simple technology of carpentry at the time, the Barn, it can be argued, would have been completed between 1412 and 1414.
The land on which the Barn is situated was part of the estate controlled by the Abbots of Titchfield Abbey, who had been granted, in 1232, by special dispensation from King Henry III, permission for the Premonstratensians order of white canons, named after the white coloured habits that they wore, to build an abbey.
We are located on Mill Lane approximately 250 metres north of the Titchfield Mill and 50 metres south of The Abbey Garden Centre. The Barn is clearly signed as our frontage can be seen from the road, drive up the long driveway the barn is situated at the top of the driveway. There is ample parking spaces on site for over 100 cars.
Address: Mill Ln, Titchfield, Fareham PO15 5RB Phone: 01329 556156
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