Monument record 7743 - Site of Cledford Hall and Barn

<1> English Heritage, 2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, 474215 (Digital Archive). SCH4666.

Farmhouse. Dated 1828 on stone lintel of window over door, with an eighteenth century range to rear. Red brick, slate roofs with regularly spaced stacks, that to earlier range lower. Rectangular plan, the principal rooms in the 1828 range but with staircase in service range to rear. Regular four-bay front, with sash windows (to mid-nineteenth century pattern) under stone lintels. Lintel to window over door is inscribed I Wilson, 1828. Renewed door under semi-circular top light. INTERIOR: survives very completely. Large entrance hall with principal reception rooms to either side, with fine contemporary grates and fire surrounds, moulded cornices and architraves. Shutters to windows, and six-panelled doors with delicate moulded surrounds. The fire grate with Egyptian figures is particularly unusual. Bedrooms also have moulded architraves. The dog-leg stair is in the earlier service range, with winding stair continuing to attic and cheese room'. Kitchen with exposed chamfered beams, which confirm the earlier date of this part of the house. A good example of a house of 1828, with complete and particularly handsome internal fixtures. The earlier range to the rear gives added interest. Group value with outbuildings which are listed separately.

<2> English Heritage/DCMS, Various, Notification of inclusion, amendment or removal from the List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, Ellis, V 14/07/2014 (Written Communication). SCH4885.

A serious fire in 2012 caused significant damage to the historic fabric of the building. Photographs taken immediately after the fire showed that the roof over the main range had collapsed. The damage to the rear wing was less severe, but nevertheless the timbers are extensively charred. The fire damage to the building was compounded by its subsequent partial demolition which reduced the free-standing gables and chimneys to eaves level, essentially leaving the building a roofless shell. Photographs also indicated that the interior had been gutted, destroying or seriously charring all timber joists, and fittings described in the list entry, including panelling, six-panel doors, staircase and shutters as well as decorative plasterwork.

<3> Higham N J, 1984-9, Professor Nick Higham's Aerial Photographs, 1986/2/10-16, 01/08/1986 (Aerial Photograph). SCH7659.

<4> English Heritage, 2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, 474216 (Digital Archive). SCH4666.

Outbuildings to adjoining farmhouse. Dated 1822 on brick in longer range. Red brick, tile roofs. Long. narrow plan of two halves, the range to south with lower roof and more irregular form. Longer northern range of eleven bays, originally with eleven doors under round brick heads regularly spaced, some later blocked to for windows. Lower range with double doors under relieving arch, open roundels to loft above and with hinged doors under flat lintels below. Ventilation openings in gable end to side. Interiors: not inspected but believed that the northern half retains contemporary roof structure. Included as a good, dated range of outbuildings, with strong group value with Cledford Hall (item 10003).

<5> English Heritage/DCMS, Various, Notification of inclusion, amendment or removal from the List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, Carter L, 31/01/2022 (Written Communication). SCH4885.

The building, outbuildings to Cledford Hall, was an 1822, brick and tile outbuilding to adjoining farmhouse. It was listed at Grade II on 23 April 1999, the outbuilding fell into disrepair and was granted permission to be demolished in 2018.

<6> Dodgson J McN, 1970-2, 1981, The Place-Names of Cheshire, Vol.II p.238 (Book). SCH3228.

There is a documentary reference to the farm dating from 1775.

<7> Ordnance Survey, 1909-1912, Ordnance Survey Second Revision County Series (Epoch 3) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire, SJ7165, 1909 (Maps and Plans). SCH4361.

<8> Meller Braggins, 2006, Structural Survey of Redundant Farm Buildings at Cledford Hall Farm, Middlewich, SCH6861 (Unpublished Report). SCH6861.

The barns are in the main two storeys with walls built of brick with clay plain tiled pitched roofs with some single storey parts with slate roofs. The evidence suggests that in the main the buildings were built in the late 1800s to early 1900s although there are some earlier parts which pre-date this. At first floor level there are some square door openings and round pitch holes for access to the hay loft. A considerable number of alterations have been carried out to the buildings in the past with large door openings and sliding doors being added and several of the door openings converted to window openings only. Some of the openings have been bricked up. There is evidence to suggest that the ground floor has been used in the past for housing and milking cows as there is a milking parlour with a pit at ground floor level. There are some cages at first floor level which would indicate that poultry have been kept at this level in the past. At the time of inspection, the property was unused and had obviously been unused for many years.

<9> Ainsley Gommon Architects, 2017, Cledford Hall Farm Barn, Cledford Lane, Middlewich, Cheshire East: Heritage Statement (Revision E), R4635 (Client Report). SCH9294.

Heritage Statement produced in 2017 for the Grade II Listed barn at Cledford Hall Farm prior to proposed re-development. The conclusion of the study was that the barn was in very poor condition, no longer repairable and should be demolished.