Calke Abbey is an unusual National Trust’s property. It was owned by several generations of a reclusive family ending with the death of Henry Harpur, known as the “Isolated Baronet”. Throughout his life the abbey gradually deteriorated and when the National Trust took it over they decided to “freeze” it as it was at his death. The home farm became the visitor centre for the abbey with a tea room in the barn.
It is a three bay, brick barn with a central midstrey and doorways to the full height of the walls. It appears to have had stables at one end with a hay-loft above. Inside it has a king-post roof supported on modern brick pilasters with raked struts to the principal rafters and two side purlins.
