Chalton Village Hall

Chalton Village Hall February 2016

Chalton Village Hall is described by English Heritage as a 17th century barn (though on the Village Hall website it is stated that it was built in 1561, perhaps on the evidence of deeds not in the possession of Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service). It was listed by the former Department of Environment in September 1980 as Grade II, of special interest. It is a timber-framed construction with whitewashed brick noggin, that is, the brick are the infill between the timber frames. The building comprises two storeys and has an old clay tiled roof and includes not only the barn but the former cottage adjoining it

The barn probably formed part of the farm to which today's Gostelow House was the farmhouse. By the start of the 20th century it was a part of Yew Tree Farm, Gostelow House being empty. At that date it appears that the barn was probably thatched as the majority of farm buildings are so described in the 1925 rating and Valuation Act survey [DV1/H4/8].

By the 1960s the barn was part of the Leslie Sell Youth Trust Scout Camp, being so-marked on Ordnance Survey maps. The trust sold the building to the local community in the 1980s. the hall is available for hire and is run on a not-for-profit basis by the village hall association.