CERNB ABBEY BARN. 189 



decayed. By the courtesy of Mr. Sprake, the tenant, I saw the 

 timbering, one truss of which is nearly open, in a loft or store- 

 room. Its construction, as far as I could make it out, seems 

 uncommon. From the wall-plates rise principal timbers, about 

 13ft. long only. Flat on the top of each pair of these lies a tie- 

 beam or collar. These three timbers are trussed by two struts or 

 braces from the middle of the collar, reaching to within a foot or 

 two of the base of the principals. These braces are straight above, 

 slightly curved below. The curved lines are continued by wall 

 struts, notched or joggled into the principals, and carried down to 

 the wall below. On the top of this lower truss rests another, 

 triangular one, completing the ridge of the roof. This upper truss 

 consists of two principals in continuation of those below. These 

 upper principals have curved struts resting on the collar, and 

 doubtless connected with a second collar above. But in my some- 

 what hasty inspection I could not satisfy myself perfectly about 

 this. The roof is ceiled at the level of the top of the .upper struts, 

 which makes the construction there rather hard to make out. The 

 roof, perhaps, looks as if, with the vast weight of heling stones, its 

 thrust must be too great. But the mediaevals knew what they were 

 about. The walls are so good in themselves, and so well buttressed, 

 that the thrust does not seem to have made them give an eighth of 

 an inch all these centuries past. The buttresses, in their general 

 design, are, perhaps, of a type more familiar in earlier style. They 

 run up most of their height without diminution, and have three 

 set-offs quite near the top. 



I do not know of any evidence, or authoritative opinions, as to 

 the date of the barn. The roof timbers are unmoulded, and almost 

 all the stone work, where moulded at all, is plainly chamfered. Xo 

 argument can be thence derived, therefore. Judging, however, by 

 general contour, by pitch of roof, by style of finial, and by roll- 

 moulding of door label, I set the building down as Decorated, say 

 about 1350. 



I now come to the masonry of Cerne Abbas Barn, better than 

 which, for laying and facing within and without, can hardly be 



