The Manorial Barn

The Manorial Barn is located on Chaff Close in the heart of the village and can be considered to be one of, if not the most important buildings in Whiston. Its importance comes from its rarity: there are very few other such structures in the UK.

For most of its life, it was used as an actual barn as part of a working farm; most notably Clays dairy farm in the early 20th Century. When the farm was sold in 1973, its working life came to an end; and the barn stood derelict and abandoned for a decade or so; and was for a time at serious risk of either falling down; or being pulled down. However, the building was purchased by Whiston Parish Council in 1984; and then completely renovated and restored over the next four years for use by the people of Whiston as a multipurpose entertainment and hosting venue. It was reopened in a grand ceremony as part of 'Whiston Open' Day on Sunday, 12th June 1988: the programme from which can be seen in the image below.

The oldest section of the building has been dated by dendrochronology to be over 700 years old; making it the second-oldest building in Whiston, behind only (parts of) Whiston Parish Church.