100,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ

Overnight NZ-wide delivery on in-stock orders πŸš€

The Barn

The Lives, Landscape and Lost Ways of an Old Yorkshire Farm
4.18 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating.
( 74 ratings, 6 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Barn by Sally Coulthard offers a rich exploration of the historical and cultural significance of barns. Drawing from various regions, the book delves into how these structures have evolved, been constructed, and adapted through centuries, reflecting the tale of rural life and agricultural development. With a blend of architectural insight and anecdotal history, it provides a fascinating glimpse into the world of these iconic buildings.
Read More
Format: Hardback
TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK Please add to wishlist to be notified when back in stock

Sorry, we're currently out of stock of The Barn. Please add to your Wishlist and we'll send you an email as soon as it's back in stock.

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're fascinated by the rich history and evolution of rural architecture. It delves into how barns have served communities and landscapes over the centuries, providing a unique insight into their cultural and historical significance. It may appeal to history enthusiasts and those curious about rural life's enduring symbols.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

A revelatory uncovering of a vanished agricultural way of life by nature writer Sally Coulthard.

A revelatory uncovering of a vanished agricultural way of life by bestselling nature writer Sally Coulthard.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A revelatory uncovering of a vanished agricultural way of life by bestselling nature writer Sally Coulthard.

'A gem of a book' Country Smallholding

'Engaging and filled with gentle humour and fascinating facts' Get History

'Shows us the beauty and rich history of everyday things' Country Walking Magazine

Across the foldyard from Sally Coulthard's North Yorkshire farmhouse, stands an old stone barn. When she discovered a set of witches' marks on one of its internal walls, she began to wonder about the lives of the people who had once lived and worked there.

Both the intimate story of a building and its hinterland, and a wider social history, The Barn explores a hidden corner of rural Britain that has witnessed remarkable changes. From the eighteenth-century Enclosures to the Second World War, the fortunes of the Barn have been blown, like a leaf in a gale, by the unstoppable forces of new agriculture and industry. Seismic shifts in almost every area of society were all played out here in miniature – against a backdrop of scattered limestone villages and the softly rolling Howardian Hills.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Barn by Sally Coulthard receives praise for its detailed exploration of rural history and the charm of British barns. Reviewers commend her ability to weave personal stories and historical facts seamlessly, creating a compelling narrative of agrarian life. Coulthard is noted for bringing attention to the 'ordinary' with her engaging writing style, blending gentle humour and fascinating insights that highlight the lives of people who were shaped by significant agricultural changes over centuries.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781800240858

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 11 November 2021

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Apollo

Illustration: 50 integrated b&w

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 135.0mm

Height: 216.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 352

About the Author

Bestselling author Sally Coulthard has spent the past two decades writing about nature, history and craft. Many of her books delve into the traditions of rural life – from artisans to agriculture – the people, plants and creatures who make the countryside tick. She lives on a North Yorkshire smallholding with her family and animals.

Also by Sally Coulthard

View all
  • A Short History of the World According to Sheep
    Discover the enthralling story of one of mankind's most overlooked but impactful creatures in A Short History of the World According to Sheep by Sally Coulthard. Spanning millennia and continents, this remarkable book delves into how sheep have shaped human history, transforming societies, economies, and cultures from the dawn of civilisation to the modern era. From the fertile crescent of...
    Paperback
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $2499
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • How to Build a Shed
    Ever dreamed of having your very own garden retreat? Off-the-shelf sheds aren't always the answer. The cheap ones are badly made and freezing cold, whereas the better quality ones are really expensive. But what if you could build your own shed from scratch? How to Build a Shed is the ultimate practical guide. With its clear, easy-to-follow instructions, expert advice,...
    Hardback
    $4500
    Elsewhere:
    $4999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Fowl Play
    From dinosaur to dinner plate, Sally Coulthard tells the fascinating – and sometimes shocking – story of the domestic chicken. Earth is home to 23 billion chickens, at least ten times more than any other bird. For every human on the planet, there are three chickens. Despite being capable of flying only a few metres, this most adaptable animal has...
    Hardback
    $4499
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Apple: A Delicious History
    'Crisp and refreshing' Pen Vogler, The Spectator Sin, cider and apple crumble… the 10,000-year story of the world’s most tempting fruit. The Apple: A Delicious History takes the reader on an extraordinary journey, from the apple’s prehistoric beginnings in the Tian Shan mountains of Kazakhstan to the explosion of commercial apple-growing in twenty-first-century China. Zigzagging across the centuries and straddling...
    Hardback
    $4999
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Book of the Frog
    Sally Coulthard dives into a fascinating exploration of the cultural and natural history of the frog. Frogs are remarkable creatures. They have mastered both land and water, and can breathe through their skins and their lungs. Some of them are so poisonous that just one tiny frog harbours enough toxins to kill ten people, while others hold the key to...
    Paperback
    $3299
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Book of the Frog
    Frogs are remarkable creatures. They have mastered both land and water and can breathe through their skins and their lungs. Some of them are so poisonous that just one tiny frog harbours enough toxins to kill ten people, while others hold the key to lifesaving medicines. Frogs have colonised some of the most challenging terrains on the planet, from the...
    Hardback
    $3899
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Tree Lore
    From druids’ oaks to deadly yews, tempting apples to erotic peaches, humanity has, for thousands of years, imbued trees with spiritual and superstitious meaning.Trees have deep roots in our folklore and mythology. Almost everything about them – leaves, branches, roots and fruits – has provided a metaphor for our human needs and desires. From strength to resilience, shelter to sustenance,...
    Hardback
    $3499
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Little Book of Building Fires
    An inspiring, aspirational and practical guide to building fires both indoors and out. Nothing beats the companionable crackle of an open fire. Fires invite us to sit and share stories or watch in contemplative silence. We feel drawn to the flickering flames, the gentle curls of aromatic smoke and reassuring radiant heat. Snuggled under a blanket, toasting crumpets and listening...
    Paperback
    $2299
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Fowl Play
    The humble chicken has conquered the world. This unlikely descendant of Tyrannosaurus Rex is now so ubiquitous there are more than 20 billion chickens pecking, strutting and scratching around the planet at any one time. And yet, of all animals, the chicken perhaps best represents the contradictory way we humans treat other species: both beloved pet and cheap commodity, symbol...
    Paperback
    $5200
    Available
    Ships in 2-3 weeks
  • The Secret World of Twilight
    Pre-order
    The Secret World of Twilight
    Beautifully observed and carefully researched Brigit Strawbridge Howard The real voice of the proper countryside John Lewis-Stempel Every day, just before sunrise and straight after sunset, magic happens. Dawn and dusk – those fleeting, half-lit hours – are when the ordinary becomes extraordinary. Skies flare with colour, landscapes shift in mood and an unseen cast of creatures emerges from the...
    Hardback
    $4999
    Pre-order
    Out 4 Aug 2026
  • Fungi Lore
    Pre-order
    Fungi Lore
    Murderers’ potions, symbols of prosperity, aphrodisiacs, and fairy furnitureβ€”mushrooms have captivated human imagination in countless ways. Discover the enchanting world of mushrooms in Fungi Lore by Sally Coulthard, the author of Floriography and Bird Lore. This beautifully illustrated book delves into the magic, mythology, and mystery of fungi, revealing their profound influence on human history and culture. From the iconic...
    Hardback
    $1500
    Pre-order
    Out 25 Jul 2026
  • The Hedgehog Handbook
    'Wonderful' Yorkshire Times 'Not just a celebration of these enigmatic creatures, but also a timely alarm bell about their shrinking numbers' The Lady 'Just about every hedgehog fact you could wish to know' Northern Echo Hedgehogs, with their quiet determination and bristling, bumbling ways, are one of the most enduring symbols of the countryside and town gardens. The Hedgehog Handbook...
    Paperback
    Sold Out

More from History & Military

View all
  • Saving Elli
    One child. Two years in hiding. Three lives in mortal danger. In Nazi-occupied Amsterdam, near Anne Frank's house, another Jewish girl is hidden. Her name is Elli. Her father has been executed at Mauthausen concentration camp. Her mother is fleeing for her life. Elli is next. To save her, resistance couple Frits and Jo Hakkens must risk everything, concealing her...
    Paperback
    $3299
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Spy and the Traitor
    The Spy and the Traitor by Ben Macintyre is a spellbinding Cold War thriller that unravels the true story of Oleg Gordievsky, a KGB double agent who risked everything to aid the British in the battle against Soviet oppression. In meticulously researched detail, Macintyre paints a vivid portrait of espionage, double-crossing, and unparalleled bravery, giving readers a riveting glimpse into...
    Paperback
    $2100
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    (2)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    Suicidal Empathy
    The bestselling author of The Parasitic Mind shows why empathy in politics leads to civilizational collapse. What happens when a society elevates victimhood to a virtue and decides that punishment is cruel? You get the disease Dr. Gad Saad calls suicidal empathy. And the West may be terminally infected. In his new book, Suicidal Empathy, Saad unleashes a blistering critique...
    Paperback
    $3099
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Man's Search For Meaning
    Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl is a profound, thought-provoking memoir and psychological exploration that delves into the harrowing experiences of life in Nazi concentration camps, intertwined with the author’s groundbreaking theories on existential psychology. The book is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, offering a beacon of hope and a roadmap for finding purpose...
    Paperback
    $1800
    Elsewhere:
    $2100
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Betrayal
    β€˜Tom Bower is the Inspector Morse of investigative biographers, a fluent, phlegmatic storyteller and a master of intricacies.’ Sunday Times The British Crown is in crisis, with constitutional threats at home and abroad. At a landmark moment in royal history, can King Charles overcome the scandals that blight the Royal family? Can the broken bonds between the Houses of Sussex...
    Paperback
    $3499
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Signed
    New Release
    The Chief and the Empire
    The Chief and the Empire uncovers the extraordinary true tale of Te Tai Tokerau rangatira Te Pahi - the first influential Māori leader to cross the Tasman - whose curiosity about the Pākehā world forged alliances, saved lives, and ultimately cost him his own. On a visit to Sydney in 1805, Te Pahi was feted as a celebrity, building close...
    Paperback
    $3200
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Discipline
    Silence is complicity, but how do we confront the cost of speaking up? Sydney, May 2021. Ashraf is an academic whose career and personal life are in freefall. Hannah is a young journalist struggling to honour the voices of her community. When a Year 12 Al-Bayinnah College student is arrested for protesting a university's ties to an Israeli weapons manufacturer,...
    Paperback
    $4000
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Shattered Lands
    'A sparkling debut by an outstanding young historian' – PETER FRANKOPAN 'This book is a revelation … both original and important' – MISHAL HUSAIN A history of modern South Asia told through five partitions that reshaped it. As recently as 1928, a vast swathe of Asia – India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Burma, Nepal, Bhutan, Yemen, Oman, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, and...
    Paperback
    $3699
    Elsewhere:
    $4500
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Goliath’s Curse
    Goliath’s Curse by Luke Kemp offers a radical retelling of human history through the lens of collapse, delving into what this means for our uncertain future. This narrative spans from the dawn of our species to the urgent existential threats of the twenty-first century and beyond. It's grounded in the latest research and a comprehensive database of more than 440...
    Paperback
    $2999
    Elsewhere:
    $4000
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    The Good Settler
    β€˜Where once I saw a view as I drove around the Taranaki coast along State Highway 45, I now see confiscated land from an invasion road. The creation story I used to subscribe to, the one in which hard-working people came here and settled the land, now jars. Weirdly, even the lawn looks different. The form of things just won’t...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Banjara
    A powerful literary debut from an astonishing new Kiwi voice, focusing on the Indo-Fijian indenture system and how it affected generations across the Pacific.Rajasthan 1888: Avani Rathod, a nomad of the Banjara community, is summoned to teach a blue-eyed colonial officer the trees of her region, but instead is misled into indenture to the sugarcane plantations of Fiji. While on...
    Paperback
    $3099
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    (2)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • This Way Up
    The debut book from the YouTube sensation and all-round cartographical nerds, The Map Men! In their long-awaited debut, YouTube’s Map Men bring their highly infectious enthusiasm for everything map-related to the printed page for the very first time, in a brilliantly entertaining and eye-catching tome. Packed with humour and fascinating facts, This Way Up takes a deep dive into the...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.