MEM23224 - West Yard Farm (Building)

The site is shown on the High Bray Tithe Map and labelled "West Yard". At this time there are four buildings shown on the Tithe Map, three of which are coloured pink (which possibly suggests a domestic function, although this may not be the case). These are sited at SS 7201 3452, within plot 676 labelled "Little Meadow" in the accompanying Apportionment; SS 7200 3447 (MDE21374), and adjacent to plot 678 labelled "Garden"; and SS 7201 3446, joined by a further building coloured grey at SS 7200 3444 and within plot 679, labelled "Farm House and Yard". It is possible that the building to the north (MDE21374) was serving as the farmhouse at this time and not the one at SS 7201 3446, although this is not clear. To the west of the latter three buildings is a further small enclosure, labelled 680 and also described as garden in the Apportionment. The whole site is listed as being owned by Thomas Palmer Ackland Esquire and occupied by Jacob Thorne. [1] The buildings depicted on the Tithe Map are all shown on the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map. The southermost building, at SS 7200 3444, appears to have been slightly extended by this time and an Ordnance Survey bench mark fixed to its southwestern corner. The pink coloured building at SS 7201 3446 is depicted with a central semicircular extension on its eastern elevation and this presumably functioned as a horse engine house, suggesting this may have been a barn at this time. Also, MDE21374 is at this point depicted as joining on to the possible barn on its northern gable end. This may be because the function of the building had changed by this time, with the introduction of the new farmhouse depicted at SS 7198 3447 and in a similar plan form to its modern layout. The final original building at the site, at SS 7201 3452, was subject to a larger extension to the west. In addition to these buildings were three further structures, depicted at SS 7200 3448, SS 7197 3445 (now outside the National Park boundary) and SS 7203 3447. This layout is repeated on the 2nd Edition Ordnance Survey map. [2,3] Since the 2nd Edition map was published, the original building at SS 7201 3452 appears to have been demolished to make way for a modern agricultural building, although the western extension shown on later maps is still apparently extant. The building sited at SS 7203 3447 has also been removed, as has the possible horse engine house on the building at SS 7201 3446. The remaining building all still appear to be extant, although the 'link' section between MDE21374 and the possible barn has been removed. The 'barn' itself has been the subject of a parallel extension to its east, which matches the scale of the original building. [4] The farmstead was visited in January 1997 and was said to be an ancient and interesting site. The farmhouse is built of brick and was thought to date to around 1900. The older farmhouse was noted to face onto the yard alongside (see MDE21374 for further comments). The remaining rubble built farm buildings were said to be a mixture of 19th Century dates, with the range opposite MDE21374 having brick openings and thought to possibly be of a 1900 date. Both ranges were noted to have slate roofs. Newer farm buildings were seen to be tucked behind and away from the actual yard. [5]