Building record 91/2/3 - Farm building, partly used as an animal shed

{1} (Building D) A single storey building, T-shaped in plan, constructed from stone and brick with corrugated asbestos sheet roof and skylights. The east-west range flanks much of the northern side of the farmyard and the north-south range creates a partial division between the two inner farmyard areas. The building comprises three main elements. Cartographic evidence first depicts this building on the 1884 First Edition Ordnance Survey Map, replacing an earlier range on roughly the same alignment. During the mid 20th century it was reduced in length.
There are two two-part stable doors in the east elevation. The west-facing elevation comprises three elements: on the left, the gable end of the shortened part of the building; the
north-south element, which separates the courtyards; and the small north-south building at the eastern end of the main building.
The west-facing part of the north-south building contains doorways which appear too small for people to use to access the building, unless the ground level was previously significantly lower than the current one. They may therefore have been for animals, possibly pigs, and in fact correspond with what appears to be open shelters/pens as denoted on the First Edition Ordnance Survey Map of 1884.
The south facing elevation incorporates three brick pillars which suggest this was originally an open-fronted building; this suggestion is confirmed by the First Edition Ordnance Survey
Map of 1884. The Second Edition Map of 1900 is not detailed enough to show whether or not the open-front had been in-filled by this time, however the 1966-77 Edition clearly shows a solid wall in this location.
Detailed building description, plans and photos.

The earliest phase identified in this survey is believed to be the construction of Buildings B, D and E as part of the farm re-modelling which took place in 1868. It is documented that Sir Thomas Fermor-Hesketh carried out a series of repairs to Easton Neston House and the estate farm buildings upon his inheritance in 1867.
The buildings which were present prior to the construction of Buildings B, D and E were all on an irregular lay out. The re-design of the farm buildings in the 1860s represented a more planned model farm design. The buildings were aligned at right angles and created regular inner courtyards and a walled area on the western side. This design also created more of a separation from the farmhouse – positioning the stables closer to the house with the cattle farming on the side furthest away.
Modernisation and adaptation of the buildings to allow for a change in agricultural practices has removed many of the original fixtures and fittings that may have been located within the buildings. However, the long range of Buildings D and E would have provided ideal facilities for feeding or rearing younger animals with individual loose boxes/stalls.
During the early 20th century, alterations were made to the interiors of Buildings D and E which may have been the result of changing farming practices and subsequent uses of the buildings. The open-fronted elevation facing into the farmyard on the east-west range of Building D was in-filled and windows and a two-part stable door were inserted. Internally, the opening between the east-west and the north-south ranges was also in-filled creating two separate, unconnected parts of the building. The north-south range was separated into two areas and horse tack hooks inserted into the walls, however, the introduction of the “Fordham SelFil” water troughs indicate animals were still accommodated to some extent in this building.
Cartographic evidence also indicates that between 1884 and 1901 what may have been a small pig pen on the eastern end of Building D was also removed.
Building D had a new concrete floor added during this period. A raised area floor at the rear of Building D and drainage channels spanning its length suggest that animals were still accommodated in the building, however they may have been smaller animals, perhaps pigs, which required less room than the cattle previously sheltered/fed in here.

<1> Fletcher T., 2013, Showsley Grounds, Easton Neston, Northamptonshire: Historic Building Recording, (checked) (Report). SNN109130.

<2> Ordnance Survey, 1884, First Edition OS Map (Sheet 56.3), (unchecked) (Map). SNN109236.

<3> 1895, Easton Neston Estate Map, (unchecked) (Map). SNN109235.

Record last edited

Jan 29 2014 12:53PM