Tithe Barn and Parsonage
This barn is the tithe barn of Parsonage Farm and was built to house the tithes of crops and produce paid to the rector of the parish church. Parsonage Farm was sold in 1921 and the barn has been converted to houses, while retaining some of its original features.
It is not known when the original tithe barn was built, although documents show it was in need of repair in 1615.
It was damaged in 1759 by strong winds and it was rebuilt with a cost estimate of £122 18s. The work was completed by February 1761 and incurred a cost overrun of £65 4s 2d – a total of about £35,000 in today’s money.
Tithe Barn
Behind Tithe Barn is the Parsonage. This was part of the old rectorial estate, which was owned by Muchelney Abbey. In the early 1900s a doctor lived in this building, who after a trip to Italy, returned with small pieces of patterned iron. His plan was to make some beautiful gates for the Parsonage, in a similar style to these patterned pieces of metal. A local blacksmith recreated the gates, which can still be seen.
Parsonage
The tour now returns back down Kirkham Street, past the sports field, down to the end of the street. to the Market Square
If you continue up the road towards The Globe, there is a large building on the right. It is by now no surprise that this building is yet another with a long and intriguing history behind it.