Jardine Sideroad Barn

"The Survivor" - Watercolour - 8"x14"

One of the things I love about the country is the abundance of barns that still exist, sitting forlornly in fields, and sometimes hidden by trees. They are fast becoming a remnant of a vanishing era as many are falling increasingly under the threat of demolition as their territory is overtaken by development. Barns have existed for centuries in many forms, and the word "Barn" comes from the old English term "bere" for barley (or any grain), and "aern" meaning a place of storage.  They can be both large and small, but the general purpose was to shelter such valuable commodities such as livestock, crops and the implements of  one's trade.  Some even came with silos of stone or concrete to assist in the storage of the grains.

The Blue Mountain area is blessed with many fine examples, and the one in my painting has always been a particular favourite for me.  It sits proudly at the corner of the Jardine Sideroad and Highway #24, and even though it has been stripped of much of it's beautiful barnboard cladding, it still commands a somewhat regal presence.  I have done a previous post on the beautiful farm home which once sat before it, but sadly it has been lost to the ravages of time and the wrecking ball.  Fortunately the barn still stands as a testament to the hardy folks who built it,  and who's lives were once intertwined with the land on which it sits.

The barn in the shot above sits on an abandoned and derelict farm just outside of the town of Acton.  We stopped by to explore it one day while driving back home to Milton from the cottage.  I couldn't help but snapping some shots, and even though it is mostly just a frame of timbers, it still is worthy of some impressive shots.