Countryside Crafts Centre
Eastern Hill Farm, Dunsford, Exeter, Devon, EX6 7BW
Tel: 01647 252410 Email: admin@countrysidecrafts.org.uk

"The Barn" sits on the ridge of the Haldon Hills, five miles south west of Exeter near the village of Doddiscombsleigh,
overlooking the edge of the Dartmoor National Park. In this glorious unspoilt setting, rural skills are taught in a series of courses which are open to all. They range from woodworking to hurdle making to cake icing. The centre is also available for hire, as a whole or as individual rooms.
The Barn is part of a working farm. It is surrounded by woods and ponds rich in wild life and fauna.
Seasonal events like our Bluebell Walk are arranged throughout the year.

The Oak Barn
(View above during construction and a view of the completed barn)
Developing a new craft centre, woodworking and training facility demanded a replacement building. The choice facing us was whether to have a ‘standard’ steel-framed building as seen on most farms and light industrial units, or to use local timber. Given that the farm is wooded, as are neighbouring farms, timber was the obvious choice.

Timber framer Henry Russell of Bristol drew up the new building plans and then constructed it, using traditional timber framing techniques little altered since mediaeval times. John was ‘hands on’ throughout the building process and learned from Henry the essentials of timber frame construction. The oak timber came from the nearby woods, from low value, small diameter, damaged trees.

Material costs were approximately the same as a steel frame building but build costs, with greater labour input, were higher. However the timber frame will have far less environmental impact due to minimal transport distances as well as taking far less energy to make than a steel frame. It has also helped the management of the local woods. The building looks far better than a steel frame with cladding and is much more in keeping with its rural setting and its end-use.

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