17 Majus Drive, Coventry (Eastern Uplands) | Historic Barns of Connecticut

Designations

n/a

Historic Significance

Architectural description:

This is a 1-story gable-roof barn with a shed-roof addition. The main façade faces north and the ridge-line is perpendicular to Majus Drive, which at this point runs north to south.

The main entry is located in the north side of the shed-roof addition, which extends to the north eave-side of the barn. The entry consists of an exterior-hung sliding-door, which slides to the east, ending in the middle of the north eave-side of the barn.

There appears to be a pass-through door on the east corner of the north side of the addition. On the west corner of the north eave-side of the barn is a pass-through door. To the east is a square window opening with trim. On the east corner of the north eave-side of the barn is a single-pane fixed window with trim. Just below the eaves on the west corner of the north eave-side of the barn is an exterior-hung sliding hay-door, which slides to the east. The fieldstone foundation is visible along the north eave-side of the barn. Centered just above the foundation is a small, square window opening.

The grade drops along the east gable-end of the barn, revealing more of the fieldstone foundation, and a concrete foundation just above the fieldstone. At the north corner is a series of three, single-pane windows with trim. The middle window also includes a flowerbox. Just to the south is a pass-through door that is reached by a concrete step. On the south corner of the east gable-end of the barn is a single-pane window with trim, a flowerbox, and a shed-roof hood. Located in the gable attic is a louvered vent.

On the east corner of the south eave-side of the barn is a single-pane window with trim. Located on the west corner is a four-pane window with trim. Directly above the window on the east corner of the south eave-side of the barn is a two-pane window with trim, just below the eaves. Along the south eave-side of the barn, the fieldstone and concrete foundation is visible.

Attached to the west gable-end of the barn, and extending to the west, is the shed-roof addition. The addition encompasses the bottom two thirds of this side. In the gable attic of the west gable-end of the barn is a louvered vent. There are no openings or details on the south or west sides of the addition, however, the fieldstone foundation is visible along the south and west sides of the addition. The grade gradually inclines along the north side of the addition and the north eave-side of the barn.

The barn is clad in vertical flush-board siding painted red with white trim around the windows and on the north and south corners of the east gable-end. The addition is clad in clapboard siding painted red. The gable and shed roofs are clad in asphalt shingles. The foundations are of concrete and fieldstone.

Historical 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

grant pre-application 2009 Located at corner of South Street, Coventry. Based on observation, it appears that the barn is now associated with a newer house to the north, but may have originally belonged to an older house across Majus Drive to the east.

Use (Historic)

animals, not listed

Use (Present)

storage

Exterior Visible from Public Road?

Yes

Demolished

n/a

Location Integrity

Unknown

Related features

Environment features

Relationship to surroundings

This property is at the intersection of Majus Drive and South Street. The house with which the barn is associated is to the north of the barn and the driveway extends to the west off Majus Drive. The main façade of the house faces east and the ridge-line is parallel with Majus Drive. A stone wall is to the south of the barn, and borders the property at the intersection. There appears to be a garden just to the south of the barn. Along the west boarder of the property, is woodland. Surrounding this property is woodland and light residential areas.

Parcel ID: 015/0017/012A1

Building Typology

English

Materials

Approximate Dimensions

40 ft x 20 ft, 738 square feet.

Date Compiled

06/10/2011

Compiled By

K. Young & T. Levine, reviewed by CT Trust

Sources

Field notes and photographs from 2009 Barns Grant pre-application by Robert Blanchard - 2/22/2009.

Aerial Mapping: Coventry Maps
http://www.bing.com/maps - accessed 6/10/2011.

Town of Coventry GIS Mapping:
http://ceo.fando.com/coventry/ - accessed 6/10/2011.

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.

Barn Record Coventry