Listed Building: HOME FARM (468815)

CULFORD TL 86 NW 181/5/10005 Home Farm II* Model Farm. C18, with additions and alterations of 1830 for the Rev. Benyon and 1890 for Lord Cadogan with further alterations of the late C20. Earliest part timber-framed on a brick and flint plinth, later parts of yellow brick, incorporating sections of flint walling. Welsh slate roof coverings. PLAN: The farm is comprised of a central complex of buildings mainly for cattle, with ancillary detached buildings serving other functions. Central complex made up of a barn to the south-west, and a stable block to the north-west. Behind the barn is a multi-gabled range including, at the north-west end a covered yard, then shelter sheds, loose boxes and cow stalls, aligned north-west to south east. Forming the south-east end of this range is the former cutting house, stables and cartshed building, with a waterwheel house and root house, with a granary above at the south-west end, running across the south-east gable of the barn. Across the access way to the north-east, an L-shaped range of pig styes with enclosed yard, with an attached feed house linking with a wide range to the south-east, comprised of back-to-back cart sheds, incorporating stables and a gig house. Further to the south east, a small detached range of stables formed the horse hospital. EXTERIOR: South-west elevation: weather-boarded front to barn with 3 pairs of double doors to the threshing floors. Right hand end with water wheel house extension, set back. Beyond left hand end, a single storeyed stable of flint with brick dressings has a single doorway and flanking windows beneath segmental brick arches. Further left and set back within enclosure walling, a single storeyed stable block, with central 2 storey tower, with altered openings to left-hand part. South-east elevation: returns against gable, with doorways to ground floor and granary above. Hoist arm above upper doorway. Advanced weather boarded gable to left end with brick chimney added at front, and timber stair to loft doorway. To the right, former cutting house with altered doorway, then double boarded doorway and C20 infil to former cart shed arcade. 2 louvred ventilators to ridge. North-east elevation: comprised of a series of gables to buildings enclosing open yards, cattle stalls and the covered yard. Brick gable to left end with datestone of 1890 and Cadogan family crest set in gable apex. Below, 2 doorways and a hit and miss ventilator. Yard to right with later shelter shed infil, and then flint gable to a further cattle shed with louvred ridge ventilator. The next yard now has a inserted C20 shed. Beyond this, former bullock and cow house, with wide gable housing a double doorway, windows with iron frames and 3 circular vents above. Long, partially-glazed ridge ventilator. Furthest right is the double gabled end to the covered yard, with weatherboarded margins to the apexes. INTERIORS: C18 barn of 13 bays, the wall posts with knee braces carrying tie beams. Pegged collars clasping purlins not aligned with tie beams. 2 weather boarded timber partitions, and doorways into contemporary framed lean-to. This now houses part of the tramway which delivered feedstuff prepared within the barn to the cattle sheds and covered yard, with turntables at the end of each of these areas, adjacent to the barn, and running the length of the buildings at right angles to the barn. Wheel house attached to the barn retains metal curved bucket low breast wheel, with integral gearing and drive shaft with bevel gearing formerly providing power to line shafting and water pumping system within the complex, much still in situ. Granary above with later grain bins and wooden hoist wheel. Covered yard with central arcade of braced timber posts, supporting king-post trusses with metal tension rods. Former bullock and cow house with some cast-iron stalls and glazed tiling. ANCILLARY BUILDINGS: Pig styes and yard, with cast-iron fronts with feed chutes to individual enclosures set back within braced arcaded front. Feed house with chimney linked to wide cart shed with gig house, the cart bays within timber arcades, and arranged back to back with central arcade posts set on low spine wall. Enclosed bays to south-west end formerly manure house and (at end) a mens room. Across a small yard to the south-east, 3 former stables each with roof louvres comprised the horse hospital. HISTORY: This is a multi-period farmstead, the last phase of which was developed to house Lord Cadogan's prize dairy herd. It forms a unique summary of the aspirations of the `High Farming' era, with carefully planned provision for efficiency of cattle management, including mechanised feed preparation and delivery, and the equally thoughtful provision for horses and pigs. The changed function of the barn from crop processing and storage centre to feed preparation and storage area is graphically demonstrated on this site. The survival of a near-complete tramway system, and the water wheel driven power system is particularly rare, and further enhances the significance of a notable C19 model farm. Listing NGR: TL8361470031