A MEDIEVAL barn built almost 600 years ago by Winchester College has been rescued from decay, English Heritage said.
The Grade I listed Harmondsworth Barn joins the likes of Stonehenge, Osborne House and parts of Hadrian’s Wall in the national collection of historic sites and monuments under the guardianship of English Heritage.
The barn, in west London, was once described by the poet John Betjeman as the “cathedral of Middlesex”.
Built by Winchester College in 1426, it would have been used to store grain from the surrounding manor, owned by the Bishop of Winchester, with profits from the produce used to pay for the school.
The structure resembles the nave of a large church, standing at nearly 60 metres (200ft) long, and has 13 huge oak trusses resting on stone blocks holding up the roof.
The structure is largely as it was built. The heritage agency said it ranks alongside the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace for its historic value.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here