The Mystery of Harmondsworth Barn

The great barn at Harmondsworth is one of our local, historical treasures, celebrated both nationally and internationally. The barn dates back to at least the 15th century. 

Earlier this year the company which owned the site upon which the barn is located went into receivership. This raised real concerns within the local community about the future of the barn.

The receiver offered the barn to the local council but Hillingdon Council refused to take responsibility for this much valued local asset.

At that stage I convened a meeting of local residents at St Mary’s Church in Harmondsworth to discuss how we could work together as a community to ensure that the barn was protected and secured for the future.

At that meeting we established a local community group, called “The Friends of the Great Barn of Harmondsworth.” We are particularly indebted to the assistance provided by local historians Douglas Rust and Philip Sherwood in setting up the group. Our aim is to ensure the barn is secured for the enjoyment of the local community and for future generations to come.

Since then the current ownership of the barn has become something of a mystery. We have discovered that the barn is now owned by a company named “Harmondsworth Barn plc” and that this company is in turn owned by a trust located in Gibraltar.

It is believed that the trust belongs to someone who has or has had family connections with Harmondsworth.

It would be interesting to know more about the trust and who it is that has intervened to take ownership of our barn. If anyone has any information please contact me.

The new owners have appointed a managing agent for the site who has been very co-operative in his dealings with members of the local community and with our Friends group. The managing agent appears to have a real interest in ensuring the upkeep and future of the barn. The barn is a listed building and so English Heritage has also taken a close interest in the maintenance of its fabric and any decisons about its future.

The Friends of Harmondsworth Barn are presently preparing an application for a small grant to the Hillingdon Community Trust to launch a project to promote the appreciation of the barn in our local area and beyond. This project will involve republishing the history of the barn and working with local schools and colleges to produce a DVD film about the history and architecture of the barn and to produce a radio programme for broadcast on Hayes FM. The aim is to undertake this project in the New Year and to launch the film and radio programme at a seminar on the history of the barn in the summer of 2007.

If you would be interested in participating in this project or have any reminiscences of the barn please let me know. Also if you would like to become a member of the “Friends” of the barn please contact me.

This is yet another excellent example of how local people rally round whenever needed in the interests of our community.

submitted by John on 08 Oct 2006 at 17:03