A TRADITIONAL oak-framed barn is being built on a village green to keep heritage skills alive.
Thatchers, carpenters and bricklayers are using modern and old-style building materials and methods to create what will be used as a public shelter at Aldford, near Chester.
Several young heritage skills apprentices have been working on the oak cruck barn in a joint project between the Eaton Estate and Chester Renaissance.
Eaton Estate bricklayer Sam Brown has been part of the team working on the chimney, which includes a brick barbecue. Sam was employed as an apprentice at Eaton in 2007 and became fully qualified in 2011.
Sam said: “I’m proud to have worked on such a unique and exciting project. I’ve been able to use the skills I learned throughout my apprenticeship and it’s been great to showcase the skills of the in-house building team.”
Terry Herron, Eaton Estate head forester and joint project manager, said: “When it’s finished it will look like a traditional thatched barn as though you have stepped back in time. It’s been a great project to work on especially for the young apprentices and trades people that have been involved.
“This will be a lovely facility for people to have and I think it will become a bit of a community hub. I’m sure it will prove very popular with families enjoying a day out, just relaxing on the village green or putting on charity events.”
Once complete the Aldford oak cruck barn will be bookable via Aldford village hall.
Magnus Theobold, Chester Renaissance project manager, said: “Buildings like the Aldford green barn keep old heritage skills alive for the future. It’s not often that there are new thatched buildings like this so everyone involved should be very proud of what’s been achieved.”
