This stone barn near Goodwood in North Otago was built for James and George Hepburn in 1859, for their Brooklands estate. A survivor of a collection of agricultural buildings, the barn recalls the history and architecture of this farm dating from the nineteenth century.

Scottish-born William Dalrymple took up land at Goodwood in 1854, calling his property Brooklands. Dalrymple sold Brooklands in 1856 – 410 acres (165.92 hectares) of open land, 100 acres (40.47 hectares) of timbered land, a ‘comfortable Dwelling-house’ and a ‘Labourers Cottage.’

In 1857, George Hepburn (1803-1883) bought Brooklands for his sons James and George. Hepburn described ‘ a very good dwelling house, weather boarded and lined, consisting of three rooms below and four small bedrooms above. There is also a very good clay house at a little distance for the men servants. Indeed a very great deal of work has been done during the last two years, the proprietor fancying it to be a homestead for him and his family.’

George and James built a 40 feet by 20 feet [12 metre by 6 metres] limestone barn in 1859. The right hand gable has the date ‘1859’ inscribed above the door. There is a small centrally placed window on the gable end, below which is a door. Part of the second gabled portion is clad in corrugated iron.

The Hepburn boys died early - George Junior in 1862, David in 1870 and James in 1875. The youngest brother Andrew and his wife lived at Brooklands until around 1878. After James died, Brooklands was sold. The sale notice described the estate ‘together with the improvements, consisting of a substantially built two-storey Stone Dwelling House, Stone Barn, large Stable, &c.’

James Kilgour bought Brooklands, subdividing it in 1906. A plan shows the homestead, and nearby, a shed and stable. Closer to the road are a cow byre (where the current building is located), yards and stable. In 1907, Frank McCallum bought the property and the estate remained in the McCallum family until around 1984. When Duncan McCallum died, the property was sold and the barn subdivided from the homestead block. In 2014, Brooklands Barn is still used as a farm building.