Prior’s Hall Barn, Widdington, Essex

Prior’s Hall barn in Widdington, Essex is a fifteenth century, timber-framed, aisled barn. It has eight bays and was originally divided in two for the separate storage of wheat and barley.

In 1377 Edward III took Widdington from the owner, the abbey of St-Valery-sur-Somme in Picardy, and gave it to William of Wykeham. It is likely that the barn was built after he founded New College Oxford and endowed it with the manor of Widdington.

Today it is in the ownership of English Heritage and is open to the public most days.