The Settle Barn
The main barn, also known as the Settle Barn, was built by John Settle in the mid-1800s. It is a good example of a typical barn and barn building techniques of that time. It is an English-style barn consisting of three bays framed by hand-hewn timber bents. The central bay is the threshing floor. As was frequently done, the barn has been built into the side of a slope. It has been extended by three additions, the first constructed in the 19th century, the most recent in the 1940s. The unpainted shingles have weathered to an attractive grey which, along with the red ochre trim, was quite common in these parts. However, throughout the first half of the 20th century, when this was a working farm, the barns were painted white with green trim. The upper barn which would have been used to store grain and hay now houses an array of farm tools and equipment spanning Cole Harbour's two centuries of agricultural history.
Visit the animals on the lower level of the Settle Barn. In the summer they may be outside in one of the small enclosures around the site. Usually, there is at least one cow, pig, several sheep, and other small livestock including several kinds of poultry. The livestock component fluctuates according to life cycles, season, age, health, the state of finances and personnel.
