The Tithe Barn at Ditcham Old Farm on the Hampshire /West Sussex border was built sometime in the 17th century. It is one of the grandest barns I have ever visited and belongs with a group I have called “prodigy barns”, built to demonstrate the owner’s wealth and status. It is a seven bay, cruciform barn with a central midstrey. It suffered a huge fire in 1972, but it has been beautifully restored and is now available as a wedding venue.
The exterior is clad in flint and brick with gables of malmestone. There are two window-like ventilation structures in opposite walls of each bay, some original and some restored. The inside is made of dressed malmestone which also forms the huge arches which support two levels of purlins. Intermediate hammer beams in each bay support the lower purlins.
