Bradford on Avon

This morning we set off to visit Bradford on Avon, a quaint old town a few miles from Bath. Fortunately there were quite long breaks in the rain so our day wasn't a washout!
 
The main photo shows the Tithe Barn interior; the two figures giving scale to the photo are Son #2 and his partner. The barn was built in the early 14th Century as part of the manor farm, which belonged to the nuns of Shaftesbury Abbey. The barn was used to store the "tithe" - agricultural produce given by local people to support the church. Following the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII in 1539, the barn subsequently passed through the ownership of several families and eventually became the property of the Wiltshire Archaeological Society in 1914. Urgent repairs were required, which were done in 1914-15. In 1939 ownership was transferred top the Ministry of Works, which later became English Heritage. The roof beams in particular are very impressive.
 
The extra shows the old bridge over the Avon at Bradford, some of which dates from Norman times.