Winterslow building given rare listed status
Kings Farm is now Grade II* listed by Historic England
Last updated 23rd Feb 2022
A farm building at Winterslow, built using a rare cruck frame has been recognised for its special architectural and historic interest.
Kings Farm is now Grade II* listed, which is incredibly rare.
The status has been awarded by Historic England after being put forward for consideration by Wiltshire Council's Conservation Officer.
WHAT'S A CRUCK FRAME?
A cruck is a type of building structure which sits on two or more A-frames, normally made from curved timbers, using the natural shape of the wood used.
Those beams are then joined together using a collar or tie beam.
Cruck framed buildings were known to be built between the 13th and 18th centuries, but were most popular from the early 15th century to mid 16th century.
Most surviving buildings of its kind are listed.
Cllr Nick Botterill, Cabinet Member for Development Control and Strategic Planning, said:
“This is a most exciting find for the team. Approximately 6% of buildings are deemed to be of such exceptional interest to be listed as a Grade II*, so this shows what a rare and well preserved find the team has made.
“Kings Farm is a particularly complete example of a cruck-frame, open-hall house from the 15th century. It has four cruck trusses and two bays of a complete roof structure with common rafters, wattles and the original layers of smoke-blackened thatch. And it’s these features that make it so special.
“There are around 202 buildings in Wiltshire with some form of a cruck, and the majority date back to between 1490 and 1530, but most of these are fragmented or heavily altered. However, in this instance, Kings Farm is noteworthy for its completeness, and working with partners from Historic England, our officers have done a great job in recognising this.
“Smoke-blackened thatch is also rare, with only 250 examples thought to be in existence nationally, and only five to 10 of those in Wiltshire.
“Kings Farm is a wonderful historic building, and we’re delighted it has now been preserved for generations to come.”