Word Smith: Tithe Barn
A tithe barn was a type of barn used in much of northern Europe in the Middle Ages. The concept of tithing is a way to fulfill charitable obligations to the Church. Tithe barns were usually associated with the village church or rectory and independent farmers took their tithes and stored them there.
In Stanway, England, (the Cotswolds) the Tithe Barn was old enough to predate the Manor house. The Manor in Stanway was the place where the monks lived. And note that the 14th-century is a time prior to the concept of money. The monks would accept one-tenth of whatever the peasants produced (crops, wool, leather goods) for their expenses. It was known as feudal “rent.”
The Tithe Barn was also the place where the landlords hosted village fêtes. Everyone was invited to a pot luck affair where they ate, danced and drank into the weee hours of the morning.
These days the Tithe Barn is more likely going to be used for a wedding venue than any other charitable causes.
Henry E. Hooper 