Barn Record Chester
RETURN TO ‘FIND BARNS’
- Overview
-
Designations
n/a
Historic Significance
Architectural description:
This is a 1 ½-story eave-entry barn. The main facade faces northwest with the ridge-line running parallel with West Main Street which runs northeast to southwest.
The main entrance is a pair of over-sized hinged doors located towards the north corner of the northwest eave-facade of the barn. Also found on this facade is a pass through door that is located on the south corner. The rest of the facade is blank. On the northeast gable-end of the barn appears to be two windows. In the gable-attic of the southwest gable-end of the barn is a hay-door. On the southeast eave-side of the barn is another pair of over-sized hinged doors located at the north corner of the wall. There is also a small hinged door raised off the ground; located on the south corner of the southeast eave-side of the barn. A boarded up window opening appears to be located in the center of the southeast eave-side of the barn.
There is evidence that there was once an addition coming off the main northwest eave-facade. This has since been removed.
There is an off centered hip-roof cupola vent located on the ridge-line of the roof.
This barn has vertical flush-board siding, and the roof has overhanging eaves with asphalt shingles.
Historic Significance:
The oldest barns still found in the state are called the “English Barn,” “side-entry barn,” “eave entry,” or a 30 x 40. They are simple buildings with rectangular plan, pitched gable roof, and a door or doors located on one or both of the eave sides of the building based on the grain warehouses of the English colonists’ homeland. The name “30 by 40” originates from its size (in feet), which was large enough for 1 family and could service about 100 acres. The multi-purpose use of the English barn is reflected by the building’s construction in three distinct bays - one for each use. The middle bay was used for threshing, which is separating the seed from the stalk in wheat and oat by beating the stalks with a flail. The flanking bays would be for animals and hay storage.
Field Notes
An old barn with a distinctive cupola, this barn was built about 1865 by Noah Perry. It has vertical siding, with very little paint left on it and asphalt roofing. From the marks on the front, it looks as though some shed attachment was taken down. It is hard to see from the road, some photos were taken from Baker Road, which runs behind the barn. Outhouse on property, near barn.
- Use & Accessibility
Use (Historic)
Use (Present)
Exterior Visible from Public Road?
Yes
Demolished
n/a
Location Integrity
Unknown
- Environment
Related features
Environment features
Relationship to surroundings
The barn is directly north of the main house, and the main facade faces northwest. The ridge-line is parallel with West Main Street which runs northeast to southwest. The main facade of the house faces south and the ridge-line is perpendicular to West Main Street. To the southwest is Chester Airport, to the northwest is Cedar Lake, and to the south is forested area. The property sits on the intersection of West Main Street (a busy road) and Baker Road. Surrounding it are other residential houses and neighborhoods.
- Typology & Materials
-
Building Typology
Materials
Structural System
n/a
Roof materials
Roof type
Approximate Dimensions
The barn sits on a property that is 2.20 acres.
- Source
-
Date Compiled
11/22/2010
Compiled By
K. Young, reviewed by T. Levine, CT Trust
Sources
Map of Chester, CT, retrieved on November 15, 2010 from website www.bing.com
Town of Chester Assessor’s Record Map/Lot 13/24 viewed at eQuality Valuation Services, llc at http://www.equalitycama.com/Towns/Towns.htm
Sexton, James, PhD; Survey Narrative of the Connecticut Barn, Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation, Hamden, CT, 2005, http://www.connecticutbarns.org/history.
Visser, Thomas D.,Field Guide to New England Barns and Farm Buildings, University Press of New England, 1997.
- PhotosClick on image to view full file
-
