How Hill farmhouse and barn, Castle Sowerby, Cumbria

Entry Name: How Hill farmhouse and barn

Listing Date: 26 January 2018

Grade: II

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1454265

ID on this website: 101454265

Location: Westmorland and Furness, Cumbria, CA11

County: Cumbria

District: Eden

Civil Parish: Castle Sowerby

Traditional County: Cumberland

Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): Cumbria

Tagged with: Architectural structure

Summary

Farmhouse, at least C18, and earlier barn.

Description

Farmhouse, at least C18, and earlier barn.

MATERIALS: rubble stone with stone dressings and slate roofs.

PLAN: L-shaped farm range forming the north east corner of a later courtyard farmstead. The farmhouse is oriented north-west to south-east, and the barn attached to the north-west gable is oriented north-east to south-west.

EXTERIOR: the three-bay, two- storey farmhouse is constructed of thick, un-coursed rubble stone with large quoins, beneath a shallow-pitched roof of slate. There are truncated end stacks and three roof lights. The right bay has an off-centre entrance with prominent, chamfered quoins and a worn stone threshold, flanked to the right by a square window opening with stone surround, fitted with wide wooden, horizontal boards. The central bay has a similar window set high up and functioning as a stair window. This has the partial remains of a small timber window frame retaining some glass panes. The left bay has a similar square window at ground floor level. A pair of narrow, rectangular window openings in the right and left bays, are tucked immediately beneath the eaves lighting the loft, and both retain timber mullioned window frames.

Attached to the north west gable is a linking range with an undulating roof ridge suggestive of an early roof structure, from which projects a stone-built barn with an undulating, shallow-pitched roof of slate. The full-height barn entrance is situated at the south-west corner, and has slightly projecting wing walls and a pentice roof. A tall, centrally-placed entrance of early form, with a monolithic, chamfered lintel with alternating jambs (now blocked). A series of ventilation slits pierce the upper parts of the front and rear elevations. The barn has been extended to the north west at a later date in stone with prominent quoins.

INTERIOR: the ground floor of the farmhouse has a stone-flagged floor and there is a chimney breast against the south-east gable, incorporating a stone fireplace with a stone hob. Window openings have stone seats beneath. We understand that there is also a stone stair to the first floor loft. The latter has white plastered walls, and the timber roof structure comprises hand-hewn triangular trusses of waney form supporting double purlins.

Within the barn there is a full, timber cruck-framed roof structure; photographs indicate the presence of various components including a saddle piece, purlins, collars and wind braces.

History

The character and nature of this farmhouse suggests that it dates from at least the C18 and is probably earlier. The cruck barn is considered to be an earlier building.

Reasons for Listing

This farmhouse of at least C18 date and the earlier cruck-framed barn are listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Architectural interest:

* Given their early dates they fall within the time period when there is a presumption in favour of listing for their rarity;
* For the degree of survival of both structures, which retain their integrity and demonstrate their forms and functions;
* For their contribution to regional diversity and character in the national context;
* For the survival of a cruck-framed roof structure which contributes to our knowledge and understanding of historic carpentry.

External Links

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.