Crowtrees Farmhouse, barn, associated cobble surface and stone water tank, Barrowford, Lancashire

Summary

House, early C17 with C18, early C19 and later alterations, barn, C17 with later additions and alterations, and associated cobbled surface and stone water tank.

Description

House, early C17 with C18, early-C19 and later alterations, barn, C17 with later additions and alterations, and associated cobbled surface and stone water tank.

MATERIALS: the early-C19 part of the house is constructed of neatly coursed buff ashlar, the earlier parts are in larger sandstone laid in irregular courses. The former garden building with dovecote is of random, coursed squared sandstone. All buildings have stone slates laid in diminishing courses.

PLAN: T-plan consisting of a linear-plan three-unit front range, with short projecting rear service range.

EXTERIOR: the early-C19 three bay, two-storey symmetrical main (south) elevation, created by the modification of the centre and west units of the early-C17 house is constructed of neatly coursed stone beneath a pitched roof with stone ridge tiles, stone slates and gutter corbels above a plain frieze. There are end chimney stacks, that to the right with a cap carried on wooden corbels. A central round-headed entrance with keystone, imposts and fanlight with radiating glazing bars, retains a six-panel door, and is flanked to either side by a rectangular sash window. To the first floor there is a central, casement stair window, similarly styled to the entrance, flanked to either side by a rectangular sash window. Windows have plain stone surrounds and replacement one-over-one sashes, although the stair window retains its small-panes. The lower, two bay, two-storey early-C17 east unit to the right is constructed of large and irregular stonework, with a pitched roof of stone slate, gutter corbels and a right end chimney stack. The ground floor has a two-light flat-faced mullion window in a plain stone surround, and a former entrance with a pointed segmental-headed lintel and chamfered jambs, now blocked with small inserted window. There is a central first floor, two-light flat-faced mullioned window in a plain stone surround. The right return has a pair of single light chamfered attic windows, one now blocked. The left return has two early-C19 windows with small pane replacement frames, and preserves evidence of the former early-C17 roof line. The single-storey set-back west range has inserted doors and windows with a full-length conservatory to the front. The gabled west end of this range has a six-hole apex dovecote, with perching ledges, and a rear set of stone steps to a first-floor entrance. The rear elevation of the house has a central, projecting service range with a pair of windows in its rear wall. To the left there are a two-light flat-faced mullioned window and a small, square window in a crude plain surround, and below is a lean-to porch with cyma-moulded door surround and stained-glass windows. To the right of the central projecting range there is a four-light, flat-faced mullioned window, one light retaining an original miniature vertical sliding sash window.

INTERIOR: the original early-C17 three-unit house plan is largely retained to both floors; the central unit having been divided into a stair hall and smaller reception room. The decorative scheme and fixtures and fittings are mostly early C19; most of the early-C19 wall linings and six-panel doors remain throughout the house, and all principal rooms have folding, panelled window shutters, soffits and reveals. The south entrance opens into a stair hall with an open string staircase with wrought iron balusters incorporating circular and floriate motifs, a mahogany handrail, and ornate newel posts including a twisted section; it has stone steps with moulded edges. To either side of the stair is a high-ceilinged reception room. The left room has a white fire mantle with swag motif and twin classical columns, a grey marble surround to the cast iron grate and dark green marble hearth. An alcove to the right is filled with fitted cupboards. The ceiling has two plastered beams with restrained embossed ceiling decoration and coves. The right room has two plastered ceiling beams with a vertically ribbed frieze detail, similar embossed ceiling panels but with late Victorian Lincrusta centre panels and a ceiling rose. The white fire mantle has a central swag and low relief decoration including vertical ribbing, dark green veined marble fire surround and cast-iron grate with hot plates having decorative blue and white tiled splashbacks. The black tiled hearth has integral cast iron air ducts. Fitted cupboards fill the alcove to the right of the fire. Left of the fire is a doorway with a deep fully panelled bolection moulded linings and matching original doors through into a third reception room, formerly the east parlour of the three-cell house. This retains the original low ceiling and massive central ceiling beam on large corbels, which received an early-C19 decorative panelled casing. The gable and cross walls parallel to the beam have corbelled stone ledges which probably supported a planked first floor. The north outshoot retains a semi-basement cellar with single arch barrel vault, and a stone rack for five beer or wine barrels. There is a blocked low-level barrel hatch from the north and a walled in window or vent in the west wall. Above the cellar is a former scullery, and there is also a kitchen and laundry. The early-C19 straight-flight stair rises to a landing with short flights to either side, that on the east side leading to a large balustraded landing. At the eastern end of this corridor steps lead down to the room above the east parlour; the tie beam of an original oak roof truss is visible down the centre of a later ceiling. The remaining bedrooms on the south front have wide boarded floors and high plain ceilings with large shuttered windows. Trapdoors give access to the roof voids where the cantilevered fire-hood chimney stones are retained, along with the later-raised early-C17 oak braced kingpost trusses in the centre and west house cells. The west range has a single waney beam (probably re-used) and otherwise has an entirely modern interior.

SUBSIDIARY ITEMS: an attached pitch-roofed barn in random coursed buff rubble sandstone with large quoins. The north-east roof pitch is shallower, and the upper wall partly rebuilt. The main elevation has a wide, shallow-arched entrance with C20 timber door, and a small entrance with a substantial lintel; there are early-C21 stone mullioned windows to the right end and to the east gable, the latter also with inserted upper loop lights, and each gable has an apex owl slot. The rear elevation has a former winnowing door with a substantial shaped lintel and a Bulcock family initialled datestone of 1741. It has a cobbled entrance, and retains an original flagged threshing floor, and parts of the lower walls retain their limewash finish. An original inset door is indicated by an early door head pivot plank at the entrance to threshing floor, and one original principal rafter truss is retained. A lean-to harness room and coach house is attached to the right to the right, the former lit by a 16-pane vertical sash window, and the latter with an arched opening, a stone-flagged floor and a triangular corner hearth. The barn and coach house have an associated river cobbled stable yard of two phases, separated by a line of larger edging stones. An underground, circular stone tank, 1.2m deep and about 5m in diameter, covered by large flat surface slabs, is situated in the north-east corner of the stable yard, and extends slightly beneath Barleydale Road. It has two chambers separated by a double stone wall, hand dressed and squared in places, connected by a central space within the dividing wall.

History

In the early C17 Crowtrees was constructed as a small farmstead by the Mitchell family who worked the farm between 1591 and 1692. The farmstead comprised a three-unit hall house and an adjacent, detached threshing barn; the house is thought to have had numerous mullioned windows lighting rooms for weaving purposes. In 1692, Crowtrees was acquired by the Bulcock family who lived there until about 1803. The family were involved in the east Lancashire domestic textile industry and were responsible for the construction of several weavers’ houses in the area; it is thought that they operated a series of hand looms from the south facing rooms at Crowtrees. During their occupation, and probably in the mid-C18, the original house was extended by the addition of domestic outshoots to the north wall for kitchen, scullery and cellar. Around the same time the barn probably became used as a stable and received the addition of a harness room, a doorway with a 1741 date stone was inserted to its rear wall facing the house, and a horse mounting block was added (later moved to its present position).

After 1803 the estate and house were inherited by the Grimshaw family, major domestic cloth manufacturers and spinning and weaving entrepreneurs. They inherited much local land and property and managed local cloth production from hundreds of domestic handloom weavers, many of whom lived and worked in their cottages. Between 1805 and 1807 the house underwent significant alteration and gentrification in the creation of the present small mansion, reflecting the family's rise in wealth, status and influence. The two original western bays of the south elevation were refronted to create a higher, more symmetrical Georgian façade. The remaining east bay, with its original roof structure, was retained (perhaps as servants’ quarters), the south-facing windows were altered, two original doorways were converted to windows and a third was blocked. A high garden wall was attached to the west elevation, terminating in a gabled garden building with dovecote. The kitchen and laundry outshoots between the house and barn were also extended and refaced with three-light mullion windows (possibly salvaged from the south elevation) and a second dovecote was added to the laundry roof. The barn was converted to a stable, and the coach house was probably added. In 1894 the house was sold to W H Atkinson, an industrialist involved in brick manufacture, whose family owned the building until 1950, and made small-scale alterations including the addition of a Jacobean revival style porch.

A two-phase cobbled surface associated with the barn/stable and subsequently the coach house addition, consists mostly of river cobbles set in earth. Its eastern part respects the barn/stable and was probably laid when the barn was converted to a stable. The surface was extended westwards when the coach house was added in the early-C19. A stone water tank in one corner of the stable yard (now partially infilled with hardcore) is considered to be pre-1850 in date, and may have once supported a hand pump.

Reasons for Listing

Crowtrees of C17 date with later additions, refronted and gentrified in the early-C19, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Architectural interest:

* a highly legible evolved dwelling, whose phased development reflects changing architectural fashions and the status and influence of its inhabitants;
* transformed from a C17 three-unit farmhouse to a small early-C19 cloth manufacturers small mansion, it has a handsome symmetrical main elevation that is precise and well-executed;
* the east cell of the original dwelling was retained as a cottage wing, and illustrates the form, detailing and materials of the C17 farmhouse;
* for the good survival of its early-C19 interior including chimney pieces, six-panel doors, panelled shutters, ornate wrought-iron staircase, and fine plasterwork;
* significant structural fabric of both main phases is also retained, including chamfered beams and the original and partly raised, substantial braced king-post roof structure.

Historic interest:

* for its association with the significant Lancashire domestic textile industry, including an early weaving function, and its occupation by three important Lancashire textile families from the C17 to the C19.

Group value:

* it has a clear group value with numerous other listed buildings in the vicinity, many of them also originating from or relating to the local textile industry.

External Links

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