The granary in the Ennepetal district of Rüggeberg is a typical example of medieval storage construction in the Märkisches Sauerland.
Oat boxes were solidly built small sheds for storing grain. This type of small farm buildings and outbuildings is typical for the Märkisches Sauerland.
Between the 15th and 18th centuries, fires were not uncommon - favored by the open fireplaces and the cramped situation in the farmhouses. For the farmers, this always meant a catastrophe. But the widespread shared accommodation of people and livestock meant that there was a double threat of existential losses in the event of a fire.
The storage facilities for the grain supplies were therefore built outside the farmhouses so that at least the winter supplies would be protected in the event of house fires. The so-called granaries, oat boxes or oat crates were stable wooden structures with mostly ventilated bases to ensure that the valuable goods were stored dry.
In addition to stationary oat boxes, there were also mobile versions that could be moved quickly in an emergency.
The oat boxes were of course lockable; and so individual, particularly sturdy ones were occasionally "misused" as prisons. More often, however, they also served as a defensive and protective space for farmers in the event of raids or fires.
The Rüggeberg oat box dates from 1717. It is a stationary storage facility that is classified as a corner plank type.
It is built from solid oak. Grain maps from the same year have also been preserved, providing an insight into the farmers' supply situation at the time.