Modern farmhouse, Low Lidmoor, Bransdale

Summary

A modern (1979) farmhouse, built with materials from a historic predecessor. Included in SMR because of inclusion in VBS survey.

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Description

From NT VBS Yorkshire 1026 Building 1:
This is a large four-bedroom two-storey house, with a substantial lean-to at ground level on the N side housing service rooms. It is the third farmhouse known to have been erected at Low Lidmoor, and dates from c.1979. The previous farmhouse, dating, according to the RCHME, from the second quarter of the 19th century, was "semi-derelict" when surveyed by them in October 1978 (see NTSMR 32770). There was also an earlier house within the complex (see NTSMR 32771).
Some effort has been made, in the construction of the new house, to reproduce the outward appearance of earlier houses in Bransdale. The thermalite block construction of the inner wall is masked throughout by an external leaf of squared, coursed sandstone, re- used from the demolished 19th century farmhouse. Lintels (mostly keystone), sills, chimneys and ridge and gable copings are all sandstone, and the roof is pantiled (again with re-used tiles), with the result that the colour harmonies of the local vernacular are maintained, in spite of the modern wall and roof construction.
Details are less satisfactorily executed. The gable chimneys, although finished with a coved top course, are too small, and the gable copings are interrupted beneath them, instead of undersailing in the usual manner. The customary stone kneelers are dispensed with, as is a projecting eaves course. Windows, of one, two and three lights, are uniform in style, but loftier on the ground floor; each light is divided by a single horizontal glazing bar. The SE elevation has a monotonous array of three 3- light windows to each floor, the customary S entrance being eliminated. Both entrances are in the lean-to and have imposing six-panelled doors that owe nothing to the vernacular."
The VBS also contains a copy of the undated RCHME survey report (probably Oct 1978), and a certain amount of historical and social information [1]-[5].

Property Survey information [6]:
The general historical information for this holding is contained here, for convenience.
Although no documentary evidence for this originally "double" farmstead prior to 1825 has been found, evidence for earlier structures can be seen in a re-set stone in one of the barns (NTSMR 31676) inscribed "GS WH 1679" while a byre (NTSMR 31679) contains 17th century structural remains.
Moon's map of 1825 shows that a 79 acre holding largely to the NW of Low Lidmoor belonged to William Strickland [7]. The map implies that this holding originally comprised two seperate units, 67 acres centred on High Lidmoor and 12 acres at Low Lidmoor, and that these were combined by Strickland to be farmed frm Low Lidmoor. The house for this holding was located on the SE side of the present yard (see NTSMR 32771).
The other holding was farmed by Henry Simpson in 1825 and by William Jackson in 1845, by which time it had become part of the Duncombe/Feversham estate [8]. This farm comprised another house (see NTSMR 32770), which was attached to the SW end of the earlier house, the majority of the extant farm buildings, and 58 acres of land on the E side of the Hodge Beck and the W side of the Shaw Beck. This house was demolished in the late 1970s.
It is possible that both holdings were combined in 1923 when the Strickland Estate was purchased by Lord Feversham [9].

Site visit 12/11/99:
As described, although interior not inspected.

Site visit 13/07/2000:
No change [10] [11].

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