Book review – Tithe Barns

By Joseph Rogers

Published by Amberley, £15.99.

This is claimed to be the first general title on the subject of medieval tithe barns in over 20 years, and is one of the publisher's latest titles celebrating Britain's architecture and heritage.

Author Joseph Rogers from Wednesbury takes a close look at the old barns which were built to keep tithes – a tithe was essentially a sort of tax in which farmers were obliged to give one tenth of their crops to the Church.

A lot of the original tithe barns have now disappeared, but Rogers hunts out surviving examples which in some cases have found a new life with new roles, such as wedding venues and restaurants. And in some cases modern builders have sought to imitate the tithe barn style.

With 100 illustrations including rare pictures, his book is a rare and welcome spotlight on a feature of Britain's towns and villages which might otherwise be overlooked and unrecorded.

Review by Florence Mona Procter