Waxham Barn was built c.1570 on an isolated part of the Norfolk coast within the North Norfolk Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Built from flint with a thatched roof, it is the largest surviving ancient barn in Norfolk. It was compulsorily purchased by Norfolk County Council to prevent further deterioration, but despite a programme of repair the barn was still in a poor condition and a new sustainable use was needed.

The council agreed to lease the building to the Norfolk Historic Buildings Trust to run a project that would restore the barn and open it as a heritage visitor attraction with a café, toilets and interpretation. Through the repair phase of the project, training in construction, conservation and restoration was offered to construction workers through which many learnt new skills and achieved formal accreditation.

The project had four main aims:

• to restore the building using best conservation practice
• to offer training in conservation and restoration skills to construction workers
• to introduce facilities so that the barn can be opened as a visitor attraction, thereby creating a sustainable new use
• to improve physical and intellectual access to the barn and its history