ALVATIA: Ingsby - Garner Barn
Garner Barn[edit]
At the end of a short path, in the middle of a pasture, is the village garner barn, or granary. It sturdy wood structure with stone foundations and a steep tiled roof, it is 96 feet long and 36 feet wide. At each gable end, a ten foot wide double door is kept barred at almost all times. Brambles and small trees grow against the walls on each side; the eaves come to within four feet of the ground.
Within, thick posts 12 feet apart march on each side of the center aisle. Wooden bins and a few wicker baskets are present to hold the grain supply -- mostly wheat and barley. A small amount of hay is stored here also, along with the communal harvest equipment: half a dozen flails, and several large "riddles," or wicker sieves. A grain measure hangs from one post.
The floor of the barn is floored with wooden boards, scarred by the flails.
The interior of this building is dusty beyond belief; it is a rare person who can enter it for the first time without feeling the adverse effects of the tons of dry grain which have been stored here. There are no windows, but in daytime enough sunlight to see by enters through gaps in the boards of the gable walls.
Inside the building, on brackets above each doorway, small statues of Saint Carmund watch over the granary; they are believed to drive rats away. Father Wallace renews the barn's protection every year after harvest -PROBABLY AT SOME SPECIFIC HOLY DAY ON THE CALENDAR-.
Residents[edit]
(none)
Transients[edit]
The reeve, Julian, and the bailiff, Cornelius, are mutually responsible for the barn's contents; any time the barn is opened, one of them is supposed to be present. In practice, the reeve is usually willing to let people he regards as responsible to enter the barn without him -- as long as they ask first, and give a reason. The bailiff is more strict, and has had some arguments with the reeve and some villagers about possible "pilferage."
During harvest days, the barn is open almost continually, with folk coming and going, and their grain being measured. At other times of the year, the barn might only be opened once every few days.
