The Bishop's Barn
The Bishop's Barn, Wells is located in Somerset
The Bishop's Barn, Wells
Location within Somerset
General information
LocationWells, Somerset
AddressSilver Street
Coordinates51°12′21″N 2°38′37″W / 51.2059°N 2.6435°W / 51.2059; -2.6435
Completed15th century

The Bishop's Barn in Silver Street, Wells, Somerset, England, was built as a tithe barn in the 15th century. It has been designated as a Grade I listed building,[1] and scheduled as an ancient monument.[2]

It was built of local stone roughly squared, with Doulting ashlar dressings and a Westmorland slate roof.[1] The barn has 12 bays with a cruck roof with double collar beams and arched wind braces.[3]

Royalist troops were quartered in the barn during the Bloody Assizes.[4] It 1887 the barn was given to the City of Wells by Bishop Lord Arthur Hervey for recreation and amusement.[5]

During the 1970s the barn was used as a music venue, and hosted bands such as Supertramp, Status Quo and Slade, with audiences of up to 1,500.[6] These bands were promoted at the venue by local Wells teenagers Gordon Poole and Tony Leach. It is now managed by the Wells Recreation Ground Trust.[7] The barn and adjacent recreation ground can be booked for events.[8]

In 2014 the Wells Recreation Ground Trust commissioned architects to survey the buildings and develop options for its repair and future use in conjunction with the Somerset Buildings Preservation Trust.[9][10][11] The advisory group identified a plan for improvements to the barn, including the installation of central heating and repairs to the walls and roof, estimated to cost at least £400,000 over five years.[12][13]

References

  1. 1 2 Historic England. "The Bishop's Barn (1383158)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 4 March 2009.
  2. ↑ Historic England. "Bishop's tithe barn (1003247)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  3. ↑ "The Bishop's Barn - Wells". Ken's Great Barns. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
  4. ↑ Bush, Robin (1994). Somerset: The complete guide. Wimborne, Dorset: Dovecote Press. pp. 221. ISBN 1-874336-26-1.
  5. ↑ "About the Barn". Wells Recreation GroundWells Recreation Ground and Bishop's Barn. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
  6. ↑ "'The Who, Supertramp and Status Quo all played at the Bishop's Barn in Wells'". Wells Journal. 24 October 2015. Archived from the original on 25 October 2015. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  7. ↑ "Wells residents given chance to join Bishop's Barn and Rec trust". Wells Journal. 1 July 2014. Archived from the original on 26 November 2015. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  8. ↑ "Hiring the Bishop's barn and Wells Recreation Ground". Mendip District Council. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
  9. ↑ "Wells Recreation Ground and Bishops Barn". Mendip District Council. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
  10. ↑ "£33,000 spent on Wells Bishop's Barn advice, options appraisal and legal fees". Somerset Live. Wells Journal. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
  11. ↑ "Bishops Barn, Wells". Somerset Building Preservation Trust. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
  12. ↑ "Mendip District Council to remain sole trustee of Wells Bishop's Barn as advisory group is dissolved". Somerset Lives. Wells Journal. 2 August 2016. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
  13. ↑ "Repairs to Bishop's Barn in Wells could cost millions". BBC. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
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