Sproughton Tithe Barn is a late 16th or early 17th century Grade II Listed Building.  All the main posts, tie beams, collars and principal rafters are original; the rest of the studwork has been replaced with reclaimed timbers, some being remnants of the original studs.

Mike McConnell, a Historic Buildings Consultant, said in a report dated November 2004:

  "The barn itself is exceptional.  It has eight bays with two threshing bays,
    which is not unique, but neither is it common.  The survival of the
    thatched roof, and the excellent state of repair, are in stark contrast with
    most other barns in Suffolk.  It is very unusual to find a barn with all these
    qualities ....  Very few Suffolk barns in regular use survive with the historic
    character and appearance as unchanged as the Tithe Barn; it is a credit
    to its present custodians".

 

Our Tithe Barn was given to the Parish Council in 1978. It was judged to be in need of extensive repair.  For example, daylight streamed in from all the walls onto the dirt floor.  Over the years the Parish Council, with the help of various grants and the hard work of
the community, has put in a floor, renewed all the cladding, renewed the thatch, concreted the yard, converted a store into a block of toilets and added some background heating. 

In 2005 the Parish Council was awarded £50,000 of Big Lottery money and a Suffolk Environmental Trust (SET) grant of £20,000.  These funds were used to convert the east store into a kitchen and small meeting room (called the Barley Room).  These new facilities, opened in September 2006, have enabled the Parish Council to implement new community services such as Senior Citizens' Lunches and Computer Courses, and to attract more income from lettings. 

The Tithe Barn is currently used for village indoor sports activities, concerts, art shows, public meetings and community events such as Barn Dances and Christmas carol singing, and for private functions such as wedding receptions. The Barn has a Public Entertainments licence which authorises 300 seated, or 300 dancing, or 150 mixed seating and dancing, or 120 seated at tables.  The Barley Room is available for smaller gatherings. For hiring arrangements, refer to the Parish Clerk, Sue Frankis (463852). 





A community Computer Club takes place twice a month in the Barley Room.




The new kitchen, adjacent to the Barley Room.




Senior Citizens' lunches take place every Wednesday in the Barley Room - the photo shows the first Christmas lunch in 2006.




The interior of the Tithe Barn in July 2008, before the new glazed doors were
installed.

In January 2008 the Parish Council appointed Ms Jane Draper as the Tithe Barn Warden.  The Warden's primary task is to assist hirers of the barn.


News update: November 2009.
New grants have been obtained to convert the Tithe Barn's former tractor store into a Community Shop.  The work is nearing completion and the shop is expected to open in March 2010.  Money has also been obtained for the re-surfacing of the barn's courtyard with tegulas (paving bricks). The work commenced on 2nd November and is now complete.

On Saturday 28th November the next in the twice-yearly Craft Fairs will be
held from 10.00am to 3.00pm in the Tithe Barn.  All proceeds in aid of developing our Community Shop project.  At the same time, there will be Christmas Bazaar in the Church Hall, proceeds to Church funds.  Entry for the two events is £1 - children free. The following stalls are expected to be present at the Craft Fair:

 1.   Handmade chocolates & wedding cakes.

 2.   Stained Glass: commission your own window panels, lampshades etc.

 3.   Remastered framed theatrical prints.

 4.   Watercolour paintings.

 5.   Semi Precious Jewels - all semi precious stones.

 6.   Creative Cooks: home made cakes, pies & preserves; catering services.

 7.   Jewellery: specialist in beadwork.

 8.   Wooden Watnots: cheese boards, door stops, etc. you name it…

 9.   Dolls houses and furniture.

10.  Jewellery: bi-chromic glass & beads etc

11.  Pyrographed wooden pieces.

12.  Gracie’s Creations: floral decorations and cards.

13.  Hand Knits. Commissions taken

14.  Hand thrown ceramics.

15.  Pets portraits.

16.  Wooden signs: commission the house sign you always wanted!

17.  Katies Cards.

18.  Bry Hurren, furniture maker: Commission your own solid wood kitchen, etc.

19.  Decorated walking sticks, zimmers, wheelchairs etc. 

20.  Jill's hand knits.

21.  Amelia Grace's custions and stitches.

22.  Oak House Farm: Sproughton meat reared in happy homes.

23.  Wrought iron brackets and bookends.

24.  Ecky's flowers: artificial, for all occasions.

25.  St Elizabeth's Hospice.

26.  Millenium Green Trust. Help with the upkeep of our Green.

27.  Green Sproughton. Help make Sproughton a Green village.

28.  Tombola.

29.  Lucky Dip.

30.  Bric a Brac, including copper lustreware.

HOT SNACKS, DRINKS, CAKES, BACON BUTTIES FROM LOCAL FARM,

IN THE BARLEY ROOM.  LICENSED BAR.

The next Craft Fair will be held on Saturday 26th June 2010.