Manor Farmhouse

MANOR FARMHOUSE.

Manor Farmhouse is a substantial period detached house of ragstone construction with brick quoins under a pitched hipped Kent peg tile roof. The house has been overhauled internally by the Vendor to create three en-suite bedrooms, two further bedrooms and spacious well-lit living accommodation and kitchen. The accommodation is shown on the Floor Plans contained within the sales brochure.



FARM BUILDINGS & YARD

There is a collection of period farm buildings which have potential for a change of use subject to the necessary consents being obtainable. The buildings and yards occupy just over three quarters of an acre.



AGRICULTURAL LAND - 5.23 acres

To the west of the farmhouse is a pasture field extending to 5.23 acres. The soil is classified as Grade II on the Provisional Agricultural Land Classification for England. The soil falls under Soil Scape 8 described as freely-draining slightly acid but base rich soil of high fertility suitable for base rich pastures.



HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

The photograph to the left shows Manor Farm as it was shortly before the great storm of October 1987 which saw the loss of the large barn in the centre of the photo. The footprint of the building can still be seen today. In 1986, there were further lambing sheds and stores situated around the walled pens and south of the lean-to which have been lost to time. According to historical Ordnance Survey mapping, all but a few of the structures were built prior to 1871. The house, Oasthouse (building 1), livestock building (2) and the two sheep pens retain the exact footprint they had in 1871.



1871-1896

Between 1871 and 1896, new residential outbuildings and farm buildings were added. The garden boundary, which previously ran north to south in line with the western elevation of the house was extended to meet its current dimensions. A new wall with an attached outhouse was constructed forming the north boundary of the rear garden. The new farm structures erected during this period included the cart shed (building 3) and the bullock yard at the southern end of the garden that can be seen in the 1986 image. The walls and some roofs of the lost pens and buildings are partially still in place today. In 1896, the lambing shed (building 5) was partially enclosed as it is today (with block repairs), but at the time, the easternmost bay was also enclosed to where you can see the rear wall extend southwards.



Post 1896-Present day

Sometime between 1896 and 1906, an open sided structure was erected where the lean-to store (building 4) is today. This had been removed by 1939 and replaced with the current structure prior to 1986. Between 1906 and 1939, a glasshouse was built attached to the south side of the garden wall. The remains of its front wall can be seen on the image opposite. The original ragstone roadside outbuilding was also extended in brick. Apart from these changes, the aerial imagery from 1940 matches the Ordnance Survey mapping from 1896. Both demonstrate how prior to the storm, the farm changed very little over the previous one-hundred years, allowing it to retain its period charm and character today. Any future development, subject to planning, could provide the opportunity for the restoration of these historic farm buildings nearer to how they would have appeared and served the farm for over a century, prior to the great storm.

Marketed by: BTF Partnership, Heathfield