Building record 255/2/3 - The Coach House and Barn, Poole Hall

<1> Historic England, 2011, The National Heritage List for England, 1138547 (Web Site). SCH6528.

Timber framed barn north of Poole Hall - Grade II Listed.
Description: Barn, late C17. Brick nogged timber frame with slate roof. 2 storeys, 12 panels. Sandstone plinth, small framing with angle braces. Replaced half heck doors, on strap hinges, and loft door, also on strap hinges. One flush casement with pivot light at loft level. Interior: Original purlins and trusses employing reused material. A king post truss has braces from the wall frame posts to the underside of the tie beam.

<2> Architectural History Practice, 2007, Poole Hall, Nantwich, Cheshire, R4591 (Client Report). SCH9204.

The Tithe Map of 1842 depicts Poole Hall along with three other buildings - the 'coach house' to the north of the house, 'moat cottage' at the north end of the moat and a single range of stables to the north-east of house. The nineteenth century Coach House is built in English garden wall bond with upper floor storage or accommodation area. Substantial stone lintels occur above the coach doorways. The Coach House adjoins an earlier timber-framed barn which dates to the late seventeenth century, pre-dating the Hall. It appears to retain original trusses and purlins; the walls are standard bond brick. The OS map of 1872 shows that the Coach House was extended to meet the service wing of the Hall, the west end of which was also extended, with a gateway between.

<3> University of Salford (Centre for Applied Archaeology), 2022, Historic Building Investigation: Poole Hall Barn, Nantwich, R4671 (Client Report). SCH9368.

A Level 2/3-type archaeological building investigation was undertaken in 2022 for the timber-framed barn at Poole Hall which, following unsympathetic nineteenth and twentieth century remodelling, was in a dangerous state of repair, with the only viable option being demolition and reconstruction of the building.

The survey revealed features within the remains of the extant timber frame that allowed for an updated interpretation of the original form of the frame. The barn was of early-eighteenth century date, pre-dating the existing Hall and possibly contemporary with the rebuilding of Poole Hall in the early 1700s, replacing stable buildings previously in the immediate vicinity. It was of relatively high-status box-frame construction, of five bays, and appeared to have been of only single storey height, used for storage rather than housing animals. All elevations appear to have had a herringbone pattern within the framing, with roll mouldings to the original doorway, and to the jetty beam of a pigeon loft in the east gable denoting this relatively high status. Many of the original timbers within the roof were almost certainly reused from an earlier structure. It remains unclear whether the panels of the timber frame were originally infilled with wattle and daub, or brick nogging. Most of the extant brickwork dates from the addition of the Coach House to the west, and had decorative, if subtle, cruciform patterning to each panel, suggesting that the status remained relatively high. However, elements of earlier brickwork were identified, including footings to all walls.