Parsonage Gunstock Barn
25 X 30 feet | 1740 | Historic Rye, New Hampshire
This barn is among the earliest that we at Green Mountain Timber Frames have had the privilege to save. It was going to be demolished to make way for a modern garage. The barn is a gunstock frame, which means that the posts flare to a wider dimension up at the eave, allowing for incredibly strong joinery. The barn was located at the parsonage for the Church of England during the Colonial Period. Because of the principle rafter and purlin design, the roof boards are applied vertically from ridge to eve. Even the braces in this frame are hewn and riven, which is the case only in the oldest of New England's structures.
Details:
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750 square feet on the first floor, with the possibility of a partial loft
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Hewn posts, beams, and braces
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Four bent gunstock structure
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Full length 30 foot timbers
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Principle rafters with a ridge beam and purlins
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Possibilities:
The Parsonage Barn would be ideally suited for use as a great room addition, studio, or as a small stand-alone house. It could also become an outbuilding or barn once again. We are so excited to play a role in saving this ancient structure!
 Drawings and dimensionsFor more drawings click on the image and then 'Go to link' |  Parsonage Gunstock Barn |  Parsonage Gunstock Barn1740 Rye, NH frame with roof boards removed. This photo shows the roof purlins and ridge beam |
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 Parsonage Gunstock BarnBeautiful labels on 1740 Rye, NH hand hewn barn. The joinery and labeling is wonderful |  Parsonage Gunstock BarnCorner joinery in Rye 1740 gunstock frame. In this photo, you can see the geometry of a corner |  Parsonage Gunstock BarnEven the braces are hand hewn on this frame. They are oak, and they are beautiful |
 Parsonage Gunstock BarnThe window opening in this gable was a modification from the original. It could be kept, or we could replace the collar tie that was cut at some time in the past. |  Parsonage Gunstock BarnThere was no center point on the drill bit used to cut the mortises, which is further indication of how early this barn was built. |  Parsonage Gunstock BarnThe structure has a very cleverly designed ridge beam and purlins that run between the principle rafters. |
 Parsonage Gunstock BarnWe love the little studs that support the rafters at their mid span! |  Parsonage Gunstock BarnHere you can see us lowering one of the 30 foot timbers to the ground. |  Parsonage Gunstock BarnOne of the gables has studs that supported horizontal siding boards. The other gable curiously had the more traditional vertical siding. |