East Wall Farmhouse, Hawksmoor

Summary

Farmhouse of a single construction incorporating no identifiable traces of pre-1850s building.

Identification Images (0)

Monument Types

Description

Wall Farm is located close to the centre of the Hawksmoor reserve. It enjoys a commanding prospect over the valley of the River Churnet, yet it is sheltered by the enclosing Gibridding, Hawksmoor and Newhay Woods, all within the ownership of the National Trust.

The plan of the farmhouse is nearly square and, taken together with the U-plan of the farm buildings (SMR No 57,024), occupies the N side of a courtyard. All are constructed of locally produced red brick with sandstone dressings and as a whole comprise a neat, complete and delightful group.

The farm lies on the boundary of the parishes of Cheadle and Oakamoor and is not shown on the relevant Tithe Map of 1843. The site was apparently then occupied by a number of cottages (SMR Nos 51,714 & 51,715), which themselves occupied the site of a medieval iron forge (SMR No 51,711) which had benefitted from an excellent supplies of spring water, wood (for charcoal) and ironstone. These canal workers' cottages seem not to have long survived the closure of the East Wall Colliery and of the Froghall - Uttoxeter Canal in 1846 for the farm, on stylistic grounds, dates to about 1850 and we have a full record of occupancy in the 1861 census return.

Development
The farmhouse, as in the case with its buildings, belongs to a single construction episode. It incorporates no identifiable traces of pre-1850s building and its homogeneity has been preserved by the paucity of post 1850's work as well.

As adopted by the grandfather of the present tenant, Mr G. Burton, in 1916, East Wall can hardly have altered from new. During the tenure of this family, alterations have happily been few and of relatively minor nature. Thus in 1940, a farm sale accounted for the loss of dead stock and apparatus then belonging to the farm. All the original windows, with their leaded panes in transomed lights, were lost in the 1960s. By 1970 the bakehouse oven had been lost together with a magnificent dairy cheese press during conversion work. More recently, restoration of some of the brick garden and orchard meadow walls has been completed under Community Programme schemes funded by the Manpower Services Commission.

Structure and Exterior
1) Walls: These are of good 9" Flemish bond red brick on two floors with a cellar of two bays both wide and deep. Apart from a plinth course on the E elevation and dentilated eaves, the walls are undetailed.

2) Roof: The roof is of pitched gable type. Over the main house this is M-shaped with a right angled cross ridge over the front at the same height. The bakehouse has a single storey gable. All are covered with clay tiles.

3) Stacks: Identical integral gable end brick stacks serve both ends of the front cross ridge. Serving the kitchen/parlour is a further, wider stack, supported by a small external buttress. A fourth stack served the bakehouse oven until its demolition in 1965.

Features and Interior
Ground Floor
D1 - Stile and muntin front door in six panels with original four part cross-divided rectangular light over under flush splayed- ended undecorated sandstone lintel.
D2 & D3 - Original six panel doors c.1850. Modern handles.
Stairs - Straight wooden flight to first floor. Moulded handrail.

Drawing Room
W1 - Modern transomed casement with top opening light.
W2 - Three part transomed casement with straight sandstone sill and lintel.Replaced an original of similar design but having leaded lights c.1960. Pair original tow leaf interior shutter in boxes having moulded panels.
Floor - Solid floor over brick barrel vaulted cellar.
Ceiling - Divided into three rectangular fields by pair of plastered over joists. Each field with roll moulded plaster cornice and border.
Fireplace - Moulded stone/tile surround.
D4 - as D2

Dining Room
W3 - as W2
W4 - as W1 but having boxed two leaf shutter like that of W2
Fireplace - modern tiled surround.

Parlour
D5 - Original back door. Vertical plank with clover leaf ended Norfolk latch. Currently boarded over and unopenable. Considerable wear to step.
W5 - as W2, but no shutters.
W6 - as W1
Ceiling - pair of joists visible. Plain plaster.

Dairy
D6 - Old plank and ledged door to bakehouse.
W7 - as W5
W8 - Modern window in new aperture.
W9 - The only original window surviving in the house. Small fixed light with metal glazing divisions and small panes giving illumination to a store room within the pantry.
Floor - Quarry brick solid floor.
Cheese Press - Enormous fitted stone press (broken up c.1970).

Bakehouse
Converted to use as WC, larder and kennel c.1970 when bakehouse oven was dismantled.
D7 - Original plank and ledged door hung on gudgeon pins.
W10 & W11 - Modern casements with top hung lights.

First Floor - Not detailed. The plan is, to all intents, identical to that of the ground floor. Most of the original 6- panel doors (like D2 & D3) survive but only one of the fire grates. Floors of machined pine plank.

Basement - The house has a cellar reached by a flight of brick steps from the Dining Room. Divided into two chambers, each with 3-bar window to the E elevation; it is brick built throughout under a vaulted ceiling and having brick arched settles.

References

Designations

None Recorded

Other Statuses and References

None Recorded

Associated Events

Associated Finds

None Recorded

Related Records

None Recorded