The History of Heath Barn...
Heath Barn is thought to be the second oldest building in Boxmoor. The Heath Barn, Heath Farmhouse and Cottage are Grade II listed 16th century buildings, part of a very small proportion of structures from the Tudor period still standing in this area.
Built using traditional timber-framed construction and stone, the buildings are arranged in a continuous square around a central courtyard and are described by Historic England as a fine example of planning. Each building has its own individual listing, but they are grouped together because of their shared history and their historic functional relationship as a working farm for centuries.
Barns of this structure and age are specific to Hertfordshire and the East of England. They are, quite simply, irreplaceable.
The Haybarns - A Sub-Manor of Hemel Hempstead
Known historically as the Haybarns, Heath Barn was once a sub-manor of Hemel Hempstead. The last private owner was Lieutenant Colonel Frederick Brereton, who moved to Heath Barn in 1922 with his wife Isobel.
Born in 1872, Frederick studied medicine, joined the Army medical staff in 1896 and served with the Royal Army Medical Corps. By the outbreak of the First World War he had attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He was awarded a CBE in 1919 and served as Mayor of Hemel Hempstead from 1927 to 1928.
He later modified the front of the Heath Barn farmhouse to include the distinctive bay windows still visible today. When he lived there, the farmhouse was surrounded by a low white picket fence.