52 Walks in 2010 - Walk 25 - Abbotsbury Abbey and Barn (13th August 2010)

A short walk from the Swannery at Abbotsbury is the Abbotsbury Children's Farm. The same Benedictine Monks who established the Swannery also built the Tithe Barn at the centre of the farm in the 1390's.



We took a walk up the hill overlooking the farm to get a better view.



The great barn was probably built in the early 14th century and, at 272 feet long and 31 feet wide, is reputedly the largest barn of its type in England, if not Europe. The roof you can see covers only half the original building although records suggest it has been like this for several hundred years.



At the top of the hill is the only surviving element of the Abbey (apart from the Tithe Barn) - the Pynion End.