Tithe Barns

During the Medieval period, farmers in Europe were obliged to offer one tenth of their yield to the Church, leading to the construction of large tithe barns in rural England. These buildings, now historical attractions, wedding venues, restaurants, and family homes, reflect a little-known feature of Britains towns and villages.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 96 pages
Publication date: 15 June 2021
Publisher: Amberley Publishing

During the Medieval period, farmers across Europe were frequently required to offer one tenth of their yield to the Church, supporting a network of monasteries, abbeys, and their various religious motives. The storage of such offerings, known as tithes, necessitated the construction of large, protective structures, large enough to hold produce from many surrounding farms. As a result, rural England became dotted with tithe barns—long buildings of timber and stone, often in areas with a significant religious presence. Their longevity is owed in part to the alteration of their use over hundreds of years, few now fulfilling the purpose of storage and taxation of farmers on behalf of the Church. Now, these buildings provide much in the way of pleasure as historical attractions, wedding venues, restaurants, and, for some, family homes. Here, some of the country's notable examples are explored, shedding light on a little-known regular feature in Britain's towns and villages.

During the Medieval period, farmers across Europe were frequently required to offer one tenth of their yield to the Church, supporting a network of monasteries, abbeys, and their various religious motives. The storage of such offerings, known as tithes, necessitated the construction of large, protective structures, large enough to hold produce from many surrounding farms. As a result, rural England became dotted with tithe barns—long buildings of timber and stone, often in areas with a significant religious presence. Their longevity is owed in part to the alteration of their use over hundreds of years, few now fulfilling the purpose of storage and taxation of farmers on behalf of the Church. Now, these buildings provide much in the way of pleasure as historical attractions, wedding venues, restaurants, and, for some, family homes. Here, some of the country's notable examples are explored, shedding light on a little-known regular feature in Britain's towns and villages.

Weight: 308g
Dimension: 165 x 234 x 10 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781445692852