Building record 1671/1 - Bank Farm

<1> English Heritage, 2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, 55638 (Digital Archive). SCH4666.

Farmhouse: crosswing (right) of two storeys plus attic later sixteenth century, altered; long wing (left) of two storeys mid seventeenth century cased eighteenth century, extended to rear nineteenth century. Re-windowed late twentieth century. Oak small framing; some wattle and daub panels; brick nogging and brick casing and rebuilding; grey slate roofs; that to long wing with raised eaves and reduced pitch, suggesting former thatch.

Right face of cross-wing has narrow panels with one rail to lower storey; jetty at first floor with decayed carving to face of ovolo bressummer with a chevron-carved console at centre and part of one left; upper storey has rail and chevron panels; a small-pane casement and an opening, blocked, to a former bowed window on two carved consoles; ovolo bressummer at second floor, on four chevron-carved consoles, has face carved with sixteen-petal flowers and swags and garlands in diaper pattern; attic has one row of panels between bressummer and wall-plate.

Front gable rebuilt in brick to second floor with a small-pane late twentieth century casement to each storey; attic gable, partly brick-nogged and partly rebuilt in brick, has small iron casement with leads removed.

Rear gable wall rebuilt in brick to attic tie-beam has queen-posts above and a window of four leaded lights. Long wing cased in brick probably late eighteenth century, extended in brick to rear nineteenth century and with gable wall rebuilt in brick.

Nineteenth century porch in corner of wings has nineteenth century doors, the outer one of four reeded flush panels, the inner one of four bolection moulded panels.

Of two storeys and three windows, all windows in the left wing replaced late twentieth century. Brick dentil course beneath eaves. Two ridge chimneys, one at junction of wings, the other between middle and outer rooms of left wing. Rear of left wing has one row of light oak-framed brick-nogged panels between roof of nineteenth century outshut and eaves - i.e. Also between wall-plate of former steep-pitched roof and raised eaves of present roof.

Interior: Brick cellars; two ovolo beams, not stopped, to lower room of cross-wing; similar beams, but probably replaced, to upper room; good inglenook fireplace to lower room, of sandstone with oak bressummer, has quirked hollow-moulded arris to reveals and beam. In long wing chamfered oak beams; a plain inglenook in central room and probably another one (now blocked) back-to-back with it in outer room; six-panel oak doors, probably early eighteenth century. Stair in left front corner of cross-wing, probably oak, with winders; replaced stair between inglenook and front wall in long wing.

<2> See map for surveyor, c.1837-51, Cheshire Tithe Maps and Awards, EDT 427/2, 1838 (Maps and Plans). SCH3266.

This map depicts the house with another building of a comparable size to the south-west. Small square buildings are depicted to the south-west of this building and to the north-east of the house. A further narrow rectangular building is depicted c.30m north-east of the house. The plot (no.110) is described as house, buildings, fold, garden, rickyard, part of lane and bank.

<3> Ordnance Survey, 1871-1882, Ordnance Survey County Series (Epoch 1) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire, SJ4943, 1874 (Maps and Plans). SCH2462.

This map depicts the house with a number of small buildings or enclosures connecting it to the building to the south-west. A further building of comparable size has been added at a slight angle to the south-western end of the south-western building. The narrow rectangular building is not longer extant and a new building, comparable in size to the south-western building, has been built in the area between its former location and the house. A group of small connected buildings or enclosures have been constructed to the south of the house.

A former house and garden, depicted as a separate plot (no.111), which was located to the south-west of the house has been demolished.

<4> Ordnance Survey, 1896-1898, Ordnance Survey First Revision County Series (Epoch 2) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire, SJ4943, 1898-1899 (Maps and Plans). SCH3848.

As previously depicted. The structures between the house and south-western building are depicted as small enclosures, presumably animal pens. The structures to the south probably represent pigsties. The new north-eastern building has been extended on its north-eastern side with a building which is open on two sides. A new open sided building is depicted to its immediate north-east. Further buildings have been constructed in the orchard to the south-east. These include a large open sided building.

The site of the former house and gardens (see 2, plot no.111) now forms part of the orchard.

<5> Ordnance Survey, 1909-1912, Ordnance Survey Second Revision County Series (Epoch 3) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire, SJ4943, 1911 (Maps and Plans). SCH4361.

As previously depicted. A new open sided building has been constructed to the north-west of the south-western range of buildings. The open sided building at the far north-western end of the farmstead, has been demolished, as have the smaller buildings located adjacent to the large open sided building located in the orchard.

<6> The GeoInformation Group, 2005, 1940s RAF Aerial Photographs from Operation Review (Aerial Photograph). SCH4608.

As previously depicted on historic maps. The large open sided building located in the orchard has a curved roof, suggesting a Dutch barn.

<7> Huntings Surveys Ltd, 1971-1973, 1971-1973 County Survey, HSL UK 73 65, run 19, no.2741, 17/05/1973 (Aerial Photograph). SCH4881.

As previously depicted on historic maps. There are few trees in the orchard.

<8> JA Story & Partners, 1985, 1985 Story & Partners Survey, Line 12 no.049, 30/05/1985 (Aerial Photograph). SCH2993.

As previously depicted on historic maps. The pigsties appear to be no longer extant.

<9> National Remote Sensing Centre Ltd, 1992-3, National Remote Sensing Centre County Survey (1992-1993), Line 13 no.145, 31/08/1993 (Aerial Photograph). SCH5297.

As previously depicted on historic maps. The open sided building located to the north-west of the south-western range of buildings is no longer extant.