The Limes & barn, Bourn

History of the Limes

Listed building

Cottage, formerly four cottages, with attached barn. Early C17 with early C19 additions and alterations.

The Limes, at Bourn, was seriously damaged by fire when struck by lightning. Villagers described how a ball of white flame hit the roof between the two main chimney stacks, and then a dense billowing smoke went up. Neighbours formed a chain to clear all movable objects and firemen removed the refrigerator, cutting through the cable. Later when the village electricity supply was restored, the fuse box was still intact and some of the people on the roof received shocks. When the roof dropped in two firemen were pinned in a corner and had to be extricated through a tiny window. 58 07 21 — Mike Petty, Bourn Scrapbook 1897 to 1990.