Saxon Tithe Barn, Medieval tithe barn in Bradford-on-Avon, England
The Saxon Tithe Barn is a medieval stone structure in Bradford-on-Avon built to store agricultural products collected as taxes by the church. The interior is divided into distinct sections by large timber supports that run the length of the building.
The barn was built in the 1330s when Shaftesbury Abbey took control of the local rectory and needed a large storage facility. The abbey used it to collect and store crops from surrounding farms as a tax owed to the church.
The building shows how the church collected a share of harvests from local farmers as a form of tax. The interior space reveals how communities stored grain and other crops in a single organized location.
The building opens to visitors from April through October and is located near the town canal. Parking is available close by, making it easy to reach on foot.
The interior is divided by fourteen stone pillars on each side wall, creating a regular pattern of storage sections. This symmetrical layout allowed farmers' crops to be kept separate and organized within the same building.
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