Summary
Outbuildings to a former farm and inn, of the C17 and C18.
Reasons for Designation
The outbuildings to the Red Lion Inn, Skipton, an attached range of C17 and C18 outbuildings to a former farm and inn, are listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Architectural interest:
* they are rare survivals in an urban context of agricultural and ancillary buildings of the C17 and C18, retaining much of their plan form and several substantial hewn structural timbers.
Group value:
* they have a strong visual and functional relationship with the attached Grade II-listed inn and former farmhouse.
History
These outbuildings probably date from the C17 and C18. They are attached to, and serve, the Red Lion Inn (National Heritage List for England entry 1131885). That late-medieval, timber-framed hall house was altered and extended, probably in the C17, and probably as a farmhouse – it retains its associated yard and operated as a farm until after the First World War. However, it was also an inn called the Red Lion at least as early as 1684, when it was named in a lease renewal. The northern barn might be earlier than the C17 changes to the inn, and probably included a shippon and stabling. The western lean-to (probably originally a pigsty) is contemporary with the inn’s rear outshut, which is probably late-C17 or early-C18 in date. The southern barn is probably C18 in date, and was extended to connect with the northern barn. It probably had stabling in its ground floor.
The 1850 1:10,560 Ordnance Survey (OS) map shows that the northern barn previously continued to the north across what is now Jerry Croft. The 1890 1:2500 OS map shows that access was possible through it, and the quoins in what is now the north gable end indicate that this was probably via arched cart entrances springing from this point. OS maps 1:2500 maps of 1938 and 1966 show that between the surveys for them, the portion spanning the road was removed. By 1979 the external stone steps accessing the upper floor of the barn (which are not shown on maps prior to 1966) had been removed. In the late C20 and early C21 most of the openings were blocked or boarded.
Details
Outbuildings to a farm and inn, of the C17 and C18.
MATERIALS: buff sandstone (some whitewashed or painted), stone-slate roofs.
PLAN: standing to the south of the town hall, the buildings are in an L-plan around the inn’s yard, with a long barn aligned north-south, short barn aligned east-west to the west of this at its southern end, and a western lean-to connecting this to the southern rear outshut of the separately-listed inn (the lean-to and the inn’s outshut forming parts of a single phase).
EXTERIOR:
LONG BARN: the long barn is in squared rubble and is abutted to the east and south by a C21 mixed-use development. Its western façade has quoins at the north end up to three-quarter height; above this the angle is rendered. Between two of the lower quoins is a small blocked window. To the right are: another blocked window with stone sill and lintel and quoined jambs; doorway with quoined jambs and deep lintel with shaped door head; scar of external steps, inserted hayloft doorway, ground-floor doorway with quoined jambs and deep lintel with segmental door head, and cart entrance with quoined left jamb and segmental-arched lintel, and square pitching eye above. The right jamb of the cart entrance is obscured by the abutting link to the short barn.
The barn’s north face is of brick and render infill between the stone outer walls (all painted), with quoins to both angles, up to three-quarter height. Both floors have har-hung timber doors, and the gable has a boarded square pitching hole; above this the cut purlin ends are visible. There is a very short return of the eastern façade visible, showing the quoins of the north-east angle. The roof is of graduated stone flags, with four rooflights to each pitch.
SHORT BARN: the short barn is in coursed rubble and is abutted to the east by the long barn, and to the south by modern buildings in the former Thanet’s Yard. To the west it is abutted at ground floor by the western lean-to.
The north façade is of two bays; the left bay is a set-back link to the long barn, with stacked doorways with square surrounds. The wide bay to the right is quoined to the angles and has central stacked doorways, flanking ground-floor windows (modern joinery) and a square pitching door below the eaves, offset to the left; all with square surrounds. The gutter has scrolled iron stays.
The western gable has a square pitching door. The roof is of graduated stone flags.
LEAN-TO: the western lean-to is abutted to the south by modern buildings in the former Thanet’s Yard, and to the east and west by the short barn and the inn’s rear outshut, respectively. Its northern façade (formerly whitewashed) is of random squared stone, with modern strap pointing. There are three unevenly-spaced doorways, the left of which is blocked. The roof is of graduated stone flags, with one rooflight. In the south-west corner is a modern, small square chimney stack.
INTERIOR:
LONG BARN: only the eastern cart entrance was accessible: this bay is divided from the rest of the barn by a full-height cross wall. The space is open to the roof with historic plaster to eaves height. It retains hewn wall-plates and a truss with tie beam, collar and struts. The rest of the roof structure is modern.
SHORT BARN: only the ground floor of the main bay was accessible. This retains a ceiling beam, but all surfaces have been overlaid with modern materials.
LEAN-TO: this has been lined with modern blockwork and plasterboard ceilings. The roof retains a chamfered wall-plate and hewn purlins and rafters. A cross-wall between the two extant doorways rises to the roof, and put-logs indicate the original ceiling arrangement.
