Monument record 6894/1 - Highfields Farm

A probable late 18th century field barn as well as 19th-century animal shelter, hovels and stable.

{1} Farm which appears to have originated as an isolated field barn in the 18th century. Further animal shelters and other structures were added during the 19th and 20th centuries and a farmhouse was added at some time after c1980.

The field barn is constructed of red brick bonded in white lime mortar and its long axis is aligned almost exactly east-west. The gables are surmounted with ironstone copings resting on ironstone kneelers, surprisingly well carved and decorated for an isolated field barn. At some stage, the coping stones have been inverted and currently their chamfered upper edges face downwards with the former drip grooves of the undersides of the stones facing upwards. It is assumed that the stones were turned over when the existing, corrugated asbestos roof was installed, although the reason is unclear. Previously the barn may have been tiled or thatched.
The sliding doors on the northern elevation are a later addition, it is also assumed that these doors replace an earlier, smaller pair of double doors although there is now almost no evidence for these. To the east of the sliding doors is a vertical ventilation slit which appears to be part of the original design of the building. There may have been a corresponding slit to the west of the original doors but if so it was lost when the sliding doors were inserted. The majority of the west gable is obscured by the later animal shelter which was built against it. Owl-holes are present in the east and west gables just below the ridge. The south elevation of the field barn contains only one pedestrian doorway located towards the west end of that elevation

The stable lies at the north end of a row of single storey shelters which form the western side of the group. It has been largely re-built with perhaps only part of the south wall being
original. The whole of the east gable has recently been rebuilt (pers comm. Current landowner) and the west side comprises Flettons indicating a likely post-Second World War date. The north side was entirely open with a central post but is now half closed by laminated timber sheets. The east wall is of blockwork internally with a brick external skin. There is a small window in the gable, without frame or glazing. The south side contains a stable door of standard two leaves; it is modern as is the majority of the surrounding wall.

The remainder of the west range appears to have comprised open sided animal hovels or shelters but now the east (formerly open) side has been mostly infilled. The southern part of the west elevation is of ironstone as is the south gable end. The north wall of the current passage which allows access through to the west side is also of ironstone; these walls may delineate the size of the original building. The east wall is of modern horizontal timber planking and appears to be a simple infill of the open hovel facing the central stockyard.

To the north of the cross-passage, and once part of the same range of hovels, is a single room, called here a loose box. It too appears to have been open to the east since the east wall is now built of modern blockwork. The west wall is of Fletton brick and the north wall is what may be nineteenth century brickwork, lime-washed. All fixtures and fittings are modern. The whole roof of this range is of corrugated asbestos and much of the roof framework appears also to be modern. At the south-west external corner of the range is what appears to be a re-used quoin with finely incised concentric circles.
The decoration has the appearance of folk art. These are probable apotropaic or ‘witch-‘ marks. Such decoration was regarded as being helpful in warding off evil or unwelcome spirits and was usually placed close to doorways or other openings. Its position here suggests that the stone has been re-used since its location on an external corner away from any access routes is incongruous. There are other obviously re-used stones around the farm complex and so it might not even originate from the complex.

<1> Prentice, J., 2016, A building recording survey at Highfields Farm, Newnham, Northamptonshire May 2016, checked (Report). SNN110372.

<2> Crank, N. (Editor), 2017, South Midlands Archaeology (47), p. 36 (Journal). SNN111362.

Record last edited

Aug 22 2023 12:30PM