Old Bearhurst Barn, East Sussex
Re-erection of a 300+ year old oak frame barn
IIt has been a joy to work on this project which involved the re-erection of an ancient oak frame which had been dismantled some years ago not far away in West Sussex. The frame came with drawings and the pieces of oak were labelled, enabling the builders to put it together again. A few pieces had rotted but mostly it was remarkable how well the oak joints had lasted. The oak was very hard because it was so aged.
Re-claimed brickwork and stone is used at the base and 15,000 re-claimed clay tiles have been used on the roof. The cladding is new waney-edged elm which is honey coloured now but will go silver over time. Copper has been used for the gutters and rainwater pipes.
The building’s ancient appearance disguises the fact that the frame is wrapped in 100mm insulation and so will perform very well thermally. Underfloor heating is installed in a new insulated concrete slab, powered by an air source heat pump. The project is a fantastic blend of the old and the new and shows that it is possible to build beautiful old buildings with all the benefits of modern technology.
We have included photographs of the construction process as we think this is as interesting as the final result.
