MESSUMS WEST HISTORY
Messums West is based at the Tithe Barn, Place Farm, Tisbury, a recently restored 13th Century Monastic Barn. With floor space over one third of an acre, it is reputed to be the largest though not the longest barn of its type in England.
The Great Barn in Tisbury was originally built for the Abbess of Shaftesbury as a storage Barn and was owned by Shaftesbury Abbey until the Dissolution. Together with the farmhouse and gatehouses the barn is part of one of the finest surviving groups of monastic grange buildings in the country.
Early History of the Barn and Surrounding Area
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It has been recorded that as early as the 8th century, there was apparently a Tisbury Abbey although not a great deal is known. By the early 10th century Tisbury belonged to Shaftesbury Abbey and as a result a number of buildings were built, these were ‘large and elaborate buildings’ built for the purposes of ‘residence, worship, agriculture, and collecting tithes.’
These buildings became known as the Manor Place and later on Place Farm. They were large and significant monastic buildings with an element of grandeur, they were used for a variety of purposes including holding Manorial Courts. The change of name to Place Farm was originally cited by Hoare, writing in 1829, whereby he refers to the group of monastic buildings at Tisbury as Place Farm or ‘Grange’.
PLACE FARM & THE GREAT BARN THROUGH THE CENTURIES
16th Century
In 1540 the Crown granted the manor and Place Farm, including the Barn to Sir Thomas Arundell who in 1547 also bought Wardour Manor and Castle.
17th Century
The Barony of Arundell of Wardour was created in 1605. By 1640 Place Farm was divided among 3 farmers who shared the land and the barn, they were responsible for its maintenance and general upkeep.
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18th Century
Place Farm was again a single farmstead in the 18th century. As a Catholic, Lord Arundell was required to register his estates with the Clerk of the Peace and did so in 1717 describing Place Farm as being leased to John Hayward. During the 18th century extensive work was undertaken to repair doors, trusses, threshing floors and the roof.
19th Century
In 1823 the Fonthill Abbey Estate was sold to John Farqhuar who in 1825 divided and sold it. He contracted to sell the estate to John Benett of Pythouse, Tisbury, who died in 1826 with terms not agreed by his heirs until 1838. The Benetts mortgaged and sold the property in 1844 to Richard Grosvenor, Earl Grosvenor and then to the Marquess of Westminster.The Fonthill Estate was given or sold to Farqhuar’s nephew George Mortimer who in 1829 contracted to sell it to James Morrison, but the sale was not completed. In 1833 James Baron Arundell agreed to sell Place Farm and land from the Fonthill estate (776 acres) to James Morrison.
RESTORATION OF THE GREAT BARN
20th Century
Today, Place Farm and the Great Barn are part of the wider Fonthill Estate, which has been owned by the Morrison family since the early nineteenth century.
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In recent years the barn has been extensively restored to its former glory, under the careful stewardship of Alastair Morrison, the 3rd Lord Margadale and estate manager Simon Fowler. Together with Johnathan Messum they have worked to bring the building back to life and open to the public as an arts centre and cultural institution for the South West of England.
