Building record 3136/2/16 - Garage block

{1} Barns. Datestone 1690. Regular coursed limestone with ironstone dressings and slate roof. Originally L-shape range of 2 barns, that to north converted to cottage in C19. Elevation to yard has central cart entrance under wood lintel flanked by pairs of ventilation slits. Ashlar gable parapets and kneelers. Rear has triangular vent holes. Northern range has 2-window range of dormer openings and C19 openings at ground floor. Brick stack at ridge. Datestone in end gable. C18 and C19 cowhouses and stables attached to north and south. Interior of main barn has some original roof timbers. Limestone wall is attached to rear of main barn.

{3} A single storey stone block lying due north of the Dated Barn and linked to the Farm House by a tall section of wall with a round headed doorway. The roof structure is of slate. In the most northerly bay. Of the structure are the remains of a stable and the adjacent two bays have been converted into garages with modern “up and over” doors. Flanking each side of the garages are stone buttresses which appear to be twentieth century in date. One of the buttresses has been extended to create a small low alcove with a stone slab roof which may have been used to house a dog kennel. The next bay has two narrow windows with round heads flanking a blocked doorway and the final bay has a single window on the west and a doorway on the east. Between the last two bays is a brick chimney. Only the stable has been surveyed internally. This range is shown on the 1756 map of Chester on the Water but without a further survey it is not possible to say whether the structure has been partially rebuilt or refaced.

{4} Trial pits revealed that the walls of the buildings extended to between 0.51m and 0.61m below current ground level.

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 5/194 (checked) (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> 1986, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), G05 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN100394.

<3> Giggins B., 1990, Chester Farm, Irchester, Architectural Survey, pp.22-3 (checked) (Report). SNN71035.

<3> Giggins B., 2011, Chester Farm, Irchester: Farm Buildings Appraisal and Interpretation Potential, pp.22-3 (checked) (Report). SNN107469.

<4> Townend, P., 2012, An Archaeological Watching Brief at Chester House Farm, Irchester, Northamptonshire, p.5 (checked) (Report). SNN109213.

Record last edited

Aug 6 2014 4:04PM