Traditional farm buildings

[Derrick Hughes]

I built most of my extension myself .used stone off the fields and out of the hedges .loved doing it and apart from time and cement the walls cost nothing. What a shame more Welsh Houses are not built this way instead of these vile rabbit hutches that spoil the countryside

 

[ARW]

There's a big brick barn, fold yard and milking parlour here, neglected for years but properly neglected by the estate the last 15 years, we lamb sheep in it and store machinery but it's up for development, it would cost thousands to repair the roof and other jobs but renting it to a farmer/contractor doesn't come anywhere near to paying for it!
So it's gonna be another house, just like all the rest

 

[landslave the 2nd]

I am a bit out of touch with conversation to dwelling cost's per square foot.....
...is a ballpark figure about £200 /sq ft ?

 

[haselor7]

VAT being charged on materials and services on repairs to Listed buildings from 2012 can't have much helped the economics - surely there needs to be a carrot if something is going to be identified architecturally important to our heritage.

I do wonder what this period of ag architecture will be remembered for, although I guess ultimately what state we leave the environment in is the more important legacy

 

[hindmaist]

The countryside of today is vastly changed from what it was a hundred years ago.Its much more like what it was three hundred years ago.No fields.
Almost all the "traditional" buildings in North East Scotland were put up in a relatively short boom period of agriculture in the 19th century.A big leap forward in the industrialisation of agriculture.Some now get demolished,some converted to housing,some are preserved by enthusiasts with the passion and money to do it.The same as meal mills,linen mills,smiddys etc.All this is as it should be.
We have a system of listing to preserve the best examples.Thats an excellent idea,but should be better funded.

 

[Will Blackburn]

There is a shortage of used "Cheshire" bricks because not enough TFBs are being demolished.

 

[MrNoo]

I know of quite a few around here, most have been bought up by people with lots of money and made into houses, and actually have been done very nicely indeed (I shudder to think how much they cost to renovate). There is one in Ewen that was bought and just renovated, re-roofed, re-pointed with lovely big doors remade, but this is a shed and not been converted (it is owned by a foreign telecoms billionaire, who also owns most of the village)
The only one I know that a farmer has done is his house now, with huge great glass doors on both sides that open on a push of a button over at Winson, a glorious place/setting to live in but not really my cup of tea.
We have plenty of old cart sheds (which are useless for modern arable farming) fortunately not listed so we converted these into light industrial office space, works well.

 

[capfits]

We have a few left around on our place. The bigger ones have been adapted, ie gables taken out and big doors put in, used for very straw storage, or on the bigger ranges we have gutted and retained some of the exterior stone wall and put steel framed building in and beyond to get good clear spaces. In one shed the out line of the old horse stalls remain in the plaster work, a bygone age, we will never see a tractor outline!
The old bothies for the men are used as dog kennels, fencing stores, and staff space. They do cost a bit to maintain, but they have a bucolic charm encourage bat owls and the like. The countryside will look pretty dull with green, grey, blue profile steel sheeting.
There were truly some fantastic farm ranges around here on the estate home farms.

 

[Exfarmer]

Really regret that in my youth I helped my father tear down a complete Model Victorian farm. It was amazing how complete these places were , with wet feeding piped from a mixing shed for pigs. A complete milling threshing barn which had a steam engine to run it at one time with a series of pulleys and shafts to take power along the sheds.
A huge range of cattle courts and cart hovels. All replaced with easy access concrete and Asbestos sheds.
Would have been worth a fortune for conversion now !

 

[Mur Huwcun]

We have a stone barn and building (beudy) that has lost half its roof over the years. Wasted three years and about £2-3k trying for planning for a converstion. Apparently by converting them we would ruin the look of the Countryside! The council prefere to see an abandoned half demolished building than a renovated building that would become a home for a young family!! Bonkers!! More of the roof has gone this winter aswell!!! Told them at the last attempt that I would pull them down and sell the stone, oh you can't do that.......

 

[JP1]

Really regret that in my youth I helped my father tear down a complete Model Victorian farm. It was amazing how complete these places were , with wet feeding piped from a mixing shed for pigs. A complete milling threshing barn which had a steam engine to run it at one time with a series of pulleys and shafts to take power along the sheds.
A huge range of cattle courts and cart hovels. All replaced with easy access concrete and Asbestos sheds.
Would have been worth a fortune for conversion now !

I never realised I knew such a vandal

 

[Run to the hills]

Still plenty of stone buildings round here. We have a yard about 40x50 ft surrounded by them, all in pretty good nick and will hopefully stay that way. Alot of farms here have been abandoned by the estate now one just a few fields away has a huge house would split into two or three, then enough buildings for 3 or 4 more cottages, been abandoned a few years now just slowly ruining. Estate to busy building new houses

 

[TheTallGuy]

Whilst I love old buildings, if they aren't practical for modern use then they have lost their reason to exist - unless a new use can be found for them, e.g. barn conversions. We can't preserve everything else we'll end up living in a giant museum.

I'm currently looking at rebuilding my generator shed - my grandad built it mostly using stuff he had laying around - the front end used to be his old chicken shed. Part of me is sad that I would have to pull down his handiwork, but then I have to look to my current/future needs & I can't keep bashing my head on the roof.

I am looking to keep the look of the original by using weather boarding and blacking it up, but at the end of the day I have to make the building practical and usable for me .

 

[renewablejohn]

we have a grade 2 farmhouse under renovation and its a nightmare its a money pit and the requirements make it so expensive. I do not love it at all its a noose. Single glazing, shutters all this bollox - I dont want to live in a museum that has little I want a home but planners have no understanding. Money wise x3 times the expense of a modern build.

Times are changing but you do really need to push the planners hard with the help of English Heritage. Our grade 2 listed going back to 1650 we managed to get triple glaze windows, underfloor heating, bathroom and 3 en-suites. MVHR and sealed energy efficient Swedish external doors. Its already making a massive difference and where only half way through the refurbishment. That said it did take over 4 years to get the approval.

 

[glasshouse]

There is a great book called 50 yrs in lauderdale. By dr shirra-gibb
It covers 1840 to 1890 i think.
He lamented the new steadings the landlords wanted, ashe said they were too expensive as he had to pay for them, and they were too inflexible for changing times.
He preferred cheap pole barns.
He was very prophetic