Heuerhaus Henstedter Straße 36, Traditional timber frame building in Syke, Germany

The Heuerhaus Henstedter Straße 36 is a Lower Saxon hall house built in 1830, its date recorded in an inscription. It has a thatched half-hipped roof, a Niedersachsen gable with an owl hole, and wall infill that was originally clay and is now plaster. The building was later converted into a pure dwelling, and a later window in the gable is a rare feature.

Built in 1830, as recorded in an inscription, the Heuerhaus served as a combined dwelling and farm building for Heuerleute, farm labourers who were often younger sons of a farmer and had to leave the farm to their eldest brother. They performed draft services for the farmer and usually held a piece of leased land whose yield was theirs. Henstedt itself was first mentioned in 1211.

The name Heuerleute refers to farmhands who were often later-born sons of a farmer and had to leave the farm inheritance to their eldest brother. They owed draft services to the farmer and usually held a piece of leased land whose yield was their own. The building later became a pure dwelling house.

The timber frame building is easily accessible and can be viewed from outside to study its structure and details. The best time to visit is during daylight hours to clearly see the wooden beam patterns.

The gable carries a window added after construction, an unusual feature for this type of house. The building began as a Heuerhaus of 1830 with clay infill panels, later replaced by plaster, and has since been converted into a pure dwelling.