Building record 15082 - Windmill Farm, Windmill Lane, Preston Brook

<1> Allen Archaeology Limited, 2020, Historic Building Survey Report: Windmill Farm, Windmill Lane, Preston Brook, Cheshire, R4425 (Client Report). SCH8863.

Windmill Farm is a non-designated heritage asset built around the nineteenth century and the farmhouse along with associated buildings is first shown on the Tithe map of 1842. An historic building survey, undertaken in 2020, focussed on recording an L-shaped range of three of the farm structures located immediately to the north of the farmhouse. Two of the structures, A and C, are likely to be of early nineteenth century date, and are depicted on the Tithe Map. An adjoining structure, B, is likely to be of late nineteenth century date. All are likely to have been used as cowhouses. In Cheshire, cowhouses were often built with lofts, as is the case at Windmill Farm, and this practice continued into the latter part of the nineteenth century. Later additions to the farm complex, were demolished shortly before the survey took place.

At the time of the Tithe Map, the proprietor of the manor and township of Preston On the Hill was Mr Thomas Brock Yates (later inherited by his son, also named Thomas). The extant structures were split across two plots: 43 and F4. The latter comprised the current farmhouse and structure C, there is no further information on this plot of land. Plot 43 was occupied by William Brereton and incorporated structure A and three other buildings which are no longer extant. The plot is described as holding a house, buildings, yard, garden etc. The same occupier, Mr Brereton, also rented a plot of land (plot 66) west of Windmill Lane that held an outbuilding, a yard and croft. Land was also rented from Yates in the northern part of the township, largely split up between arable land and pasture and suggesting mixed agricultural practices, there was also a meadow and a plot designated for plantation.