Marlpit Barn

The old English barn still standing has an interesting history. Careful examination of the roof timbers reveals that every timber is numbered. The barn was apparently taken apart and moved from its original site in Feckenham Road to its present location at Marlpit Farm. Constructed in the form of three pieces, the middle walls front and back consisted of double doors sufficiently high to allow the passage of farm equipment such as the old fashioned thrashing box. In the latter years two small Ferguson tractors would be stored in there during the winter months. Each side  was for storage of hay, the right hand side having had a loft floor installed. Each side had a thick length of timber atop a low brick wall running front to back, to prevent spillage of whatever into the flag stoned centre section. Air holes built into the upper walls gave free access to both owls, swallows and bats, of which there was an abundance. Standing on its four cast feet, was an old Bamfords cereal crusher used to crush oats for winter feed. This was belt driven from the overhead shafting which was driven by the small stationary engine located in the lean to shed on the side of the building (now long since demolished). These little engines were made by many different companies and came in all shapes and sizes. They were usually all petrol powered, and were quite efficient in their day. The engine shed had a wooden workbench which was also a sort of 'Car Boot' or 'Aladdin’s Cave' for all sorts of useful odds and ends. Spanners, hand tools, objects from antiquity and most useful of all, a big wooden box of tractor spark plugs.

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