Building record 2005/0/9 - Southfields Farmhouse, well and retaining wall

Southfields Farm probably originated in the mid-18th century with 20th century alterations and was associated with the Overstone Hall Estate.

{1} History
Southfields Farm historically formed part of the Overstone Hall Estate and it is possible that it was one of a number of farms that were built on the estate around the mid-C18. The footprint of Southfields Farm is recognisable on a map dated 1763 within a parcel of land named House Close. The map depicts a building with a long rectangular footprint, with three parallel detached buildings to the south-east and a short range to the north-west. The buildings are shown in the same formation on the 1832 map of the Overstone Hall Estate, but with the north-west range elongated and the central detached building no longer present. However, the 1835 One Inch Ordnance Survey mapping, depicts the central range as being present but omits the north-west range. The buildings are labelled as Southfields Farm on both maps.
A more detailed plan of the farm is included in a fire insurance survey volume of 1875 when the buildings were assigned to J Pell. The farmstead is depicted as having an F-shaped plan, with the two southern parallel ranges now shown as being attached to the main rectangular range. The survey records that all of the farm buildings were constructed of stone and that at this time the farmhouse had a thatched roof with the rest of the buildings having slate roofs. The range adjoining the farmhouse was described as a barn, stables and root house, and the perpendicular ranges described as hovels (a type of open shelter) for wagons and feeding. The detached building to the east was described as a carriage house with adjoining piggeries. By the 1886 and 1901 Ordnance Survey maps the farm was known as South Lodge.
The Overstone Hall Estate was sold at auction in 1921 on the instruction of Mr Harry Mallaby Deeley MP, who had an interest in the estate from 1911. Tenants and cottagers were offered the chance to purchase their holdings and Mr J P Aspinall bought the holding for South Lodge Farm. A photograph of the farm from the auction catalogue shows that the thatched roof of the farmhouse had been replaced with slate by this time. The sales particulars describe a three-storey residence with cellars, featuring seven bedrooms and a fitted bathroom. The ground floor featured drawing and dining rooms with canopy fireplaces, a larder, dairy, and back kitchen with two coppers, a brick oven, range, sink and pump. The outbuildings were described as providing stables and sheltering for cattle, pigs and hens, along with barns, areas for threshing and storage for carts and coal.
Northampton was designated as a New Town in 1968 and the farm was sold to the Development
Corporation. The Southfields estate developed around the farm, with the farmhouse suggested to have been used as the developer’s offices. Maps pre-dating this development suggest there may have been a retaining structure surrounding the south-eastern perimeter of the farmhouse, possibly designed as a 'haha'-style boundary. A small section of this possibly survives in the garden. A two-storey brick annex was added to the rear of the farmhouse and adjoining cottage to incorporate kitchen and bathroom facilities. The piggeries were removed from the former carriage house to the south-west and it was extended and turned into a shared garage. The farmhouse and cottage were sold around 1980. The rest of the farmstead was retained by Northampton Borough Council and adapted for use as a community centre and storage. The southernmost range was marked on maps as workshops and a factory from the 1980s. The former barn, known as Clyde House by 2014, was converted to three dwellings, now known as 1-3 Southfields Barn. As part of the conversion the barn doors were removed, the double height opening to rear was infilled, and the opposite opening was divided to create two new entrances. New window and door openings, glazing and roof lights were added and the interior was partitioned and modernised.

Details
A farmhouse, likely dating to the mid-C18, with alterations and extensions between the early and late C20; a well and a section of stone retaining wall, possibly the remnants of a 'haha'-style boundary.
MATERIALS: the farmhouse is constructed of roughly coursed stone under a plain tiled roof, with a red brick extension to the rear. Windows are timber framed with shallow timber lintels and no sills. The well and section of wall are also constructed of roughly coursed stone.
PLAN: the farmstead has an F-shaped plan with the farmhouse at the north-east end of this range. The house is of three storeys with a cellar and has a roughly T-shaped plan, with the principal range orientated north-east to south-west and a perpendicular range projecting north-west. The south-west corner is infilled with a late-C20 extension.
EXTERIOR: the principal, east elevation of the farmhouse is of three bays under a pitched roof with stacks to the gable ends. It features exposed rafter feet to the eaves and a central, gabled dormer. The principal entrance is within the central bay of the east elevation. It features a part glazed door within a timber porch with decorative bracing and barge boards. To either side are three-light transomed windows with glazing-bars to the top lights. The second-floor features three two-light, transomed windows with glazing-bars. The central gable features a two-light window with glazing bars beneath a chamfered lintel. The gabled end of the north elevation features a mullion and transomed window to the ground floor and an off centre second-floor window. To the north-west elevation is a contemporary two-storey gabled range and a late-C20 red brick lean-to extension. The two and three-light transomed windows are continued to the gabled range, with a modern window to the cellar where the ground level falls away. The two-storey, brick range is shared with the
adjoining cottage to the south and features modern windows and doors.
INTERIOR: the principal entrance leads into a hallway with a geometric tiled floor and moulded cornicing. It contains a staircase with moulded newel posts and balustrades and panelling below. The ground floor rooms feature chamfered ceiling beams and windows with deep reveals. Fireplaces are C20 replacements. The room north of the hallway retains built in shutters to the window reveals. The kitchen has a quarry tiled floor and a bressummer beam above a brick fireplace, restored in the late-C20, with niches and former ovens to either side. The pantry features a blocked doorway which formerly provided access into the adjoining cottage.
The cellar is situated beneath the north-west, gabled range and features exposed ceiling beams supporting the floorboards above. There are chamfered ceiling beams and canted window seats set in deep reveals to some of the bedrooms on the first floor. Cast iron fireplaces survive to some of the first and second floor rooms, along with built in cupboards with plank doors and shelves. A stair with C20 handrail leads to the second floor. Some of the partition walls on this floor feature internal glazed windows. There are a mixture of planked and panelled doors throughout.
SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: at the south-west corner of the house is a well composed of a circular stone wall with cock and hen capping topped with a timber canopy frame.
There is a low, coursed rubble stone retaining wall south-east of the farmhouse, possibly the remnants of a 'haha'-style boundary. It is covered by a modern, glazed garden room.

Historic England, 2024, Case Name: Southfields Farm (Designation Advice Report). SNN116582.

Record last edited

Feb 25 2025 8:07PM