(Above) Hammerbeam roofing at Smythe Barn in the grounds of Westenhanger Castle. Only one other Grade I-listed barn, at Manor Farm in North Dorset, uses the costly roofing style
A Grade I-listed Kent barn built by a Government miser whose stinginess incurred the wrath of Queen Elizabeth more than 400 years ago has been restored following a two-and-a-half-year project as part of a £2 million English Heritage repair mission.
Smythe Barn, at Westenhanger Castle near Folkestone, was lavishly constructed by tight-fisted Tudor collector of import taxes Thomas "Customer" Smythe at the end of the 16th century.
Smythe's huge accumulated wealth earned him suspicion and repeated reprimand from the monarch, but his legacy is one of only two listed barns in the country to boast a hammerbeam roof, more readily associated with grand palaces such as Hampton Court and Eltham.
The Barn had fallen into disrepair before the project began almost three years ago
"This is an awe-inspiring space," said English Heritage Chief Executive Simon Thurley. "Standing inside it is like being in one of the greatest cathedrals in England.
"Hammerbeam roofs are an impressive technical achievement and it is extraordinary to find one in the middle of rural Kent and now in such magnificent condition."
Demolition works in the 18th century and a hurricane in 1987 threatened to destroy the barn
Demolition in the 18th century and substantial damage from a 1987 hurricane left the Forge family facing a daunting salvation task when they bought the barn from Folkstone Racecourse in 2003, having purchased the Castle from the Ministry of Transport seven years earlier.
The building will now be reopened to the public
John Forge, who is conveniently adept at building conservation, assembled a team of Medieval carpentry experts and stonemasons under the guiding advice of English Heritage.
Experts applied limestone to the top of the building
"There are no books of instruction on how to dismantle medieval timbers, so it was a delicate and difficult task," he explained.
"By supporting a section of the roof, it was possible to drive out the joint pegs piece by piece. It was important not to damage the intricate jointing as we had assured English Heritage we would reuse 90% of the original fabric."
Thousands of tiles were needed for the £500,000 rebuild, which was part of a £2 million overall restoration scheme
More than 1,000 enormous oak pieces and 58,000 tiles were used in the mammoth rebuild, which will allow the barn to be opened to the public and hired for hospitality. It is one of 169 Grade I-listed barns in England.
Open to the public on Tuesdays until the end of September, guided tours available. Visit Westenhanger Castle online for more details.
