Summary
A C17 stone cow-house of a decorative vernacular style with storage and accommodation above.
Reasons for Designation
The byre at Seddon’s Fold, a C17 cow-house with storage and accommodation above, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
*Date and rarity: for its importance as an exceptionally rare example of pre-C18 cattle-housing and of the survival of pre-C19 cow-house interior features.
*Design and craftsmanship: of its good quality vernacular architectural detailing including the historic timber roof.
*Historic importance: as physical evidence for pre-industrial agriculture at a level below the great landed estates, illustrating important aspects of the social and economic history of the nation.
*Group value: for its relationship with Seddon’s Fold farmhouse (NHLE 1309613), barn (NHLE 1309621) and stable (NHLE 1356801), that together with the byre comprise a rare example of a pre-1750 multi-building historic farmstead, which dates back as far as the C15 and is still in use.
History
The farm at Seddon Fold dates to at least the mid to late C16 (the earliest reference to a member of the Seddon family living at Prestolee is from 1553). Following the erection of the cruck-barn in the late C15 or early C16 and the two storey house in the early C17 , the freestanding combination byre was built to the S of the house, comprising cattle stalling on the ground floor and probably two rooms to the first floor; one unheated accommodation and the other a granary or feedstore. In the C20 a timber shelter was constructed connecting the two buildings, which was removed in the early C21. In the late C20 or early C21, the S gable of the byre has been rebuilt reusing the original materials and incorporating a large entrance.
Details
Byre with accommodation and storage above, late C17.
MATERIALS: constructed of dressed, coursed sandstone with quoins and stone flag roof laid in diminishing courses
PLAN: two storeys with gables to N and S, an eastern feeding passage with N and S doors, and three stock entrances in the W wall. The first floor was originally divided into a store or granary and some unheated accommodation, accessed externally via a first-floor door in the NW corner.
EXTERIOR: forming the eastern side of a farmstead also comprising house (qv), cruck-barn (qv) and stable (qv), occupying the highest point at the W end of a tongue of land formed by the westernmost meander of the River Irwell, where it is joined by the River Croal.
The W elevation has three low entrances with very deep lintels, the two to the left being blocked; a blocked window with arch-head lintel to the left of the central door; a first-floor blocked window (at left) with one mullion, probably originally of three lights, and a blocked central small window. Various original vents have been blocked and several others appear to be inserted. There are some very long quoin stones and some short but the pattern is not regular.
The N elevation has a first floor entrance with a stone lintel that extends to form a kneeler for a coped gable, the copings being absent. The eastern kneeler is broken. There is also a square pitching hole to the left hand side of the gable with monolithic lintel and slab jambs; the jambs rest on long impost stones but the central sill stone is missing. At ground floor to the left is another monolithic low lintel for the N entrance to the feeding passage, while centrally there is a good quality three light mullion window, now blocked, with chamfered arched lintels; this window might be reused from an earlier building.
The E elevation has two small blocked windows at ground floor, similar to that in the W wall. The long quoins alternate regularly except adjacent to the southern feeding passage door where the lintel prevents it.
The S elevation has a large inserted opening adjacent to the feeding passage. The gable has been rebuilt reusing original material and has a louvred opening with stone sill. The E kneeler is broken and the copings and W kneeler are absent.
INTERIOR: the interior has various blocked openings, vents and niches, together with two corbels, possibly relating to a stair. The roof is predominantly hewn members with two collar-and-tie-beam trusses with raking struts, two rows of entrenched side purlins, diamond-set ridge purlins and rafters. The N truss has mortices for internal partitioning and the NW wall the remains of plaster at first floor. The S bearing ends of the purlins rest on an inserted structure comprising a cross beam bearing on the walls, with five posts, all made from telegraph poles or similar. The stone flag floor survives in the N half with the seatings for upright stone partitions.
