| Description | This is an 18th century farmhouse with attached barn. The housebody of the farmhouse is lit by a five light double chamfered window to the west elevation. The housebody contains the stone stairs up to the first floor and a stone fireplace with cupboard to the west of it. The roof structure over the barn incorporates two different truss types, an earlier King post roof truss with substantial tie beam and a later Queen post roof structure to the south. The barn has opposed doorways, with a cart entry to the west elevation and opposing doorway to the west elevation. To the south side of the cart entry is an extension to the barn, which projects to the west. To the north of the farmhouse there is an attached former cottage of two storeys and to the north of the cottage, a further addition with a catslide roof, which formerly incorporated a privy, pigsty and storage. The OS 1st Edition map of 1851 shows it as well marked to the north west of the range.
The range is a good example of an unaltered and un modernised 18th –century farmhouse and associated agricultural outbuildings, which retains its original plan form and a number of original features. The farm is also significant as an early example or antecedent of the Pennine laithe house.
(Text edited from Chamberlin, 2009)
The farmhouse and adjoining barn at Bank Bottom Farm are Grade II listed buildings. Below is English Heritage's listing description:
Farmhouse and adjoining barn of early 18th century date. Built of coursed rubble, with quoins, a stone slate roof and ashlar stack. Of two storeys. Main house comprises of a doorway in recent porch with adjoining later window. To the left is a 5 light double chamfered stone mullioned window. To the first floor is one 3 light window and one 2 or 3 light window with no mullions, both double chamfered. Slightly later 2 storey addition to the left has later entrance and one 2 light double chamfered window to ground floor, and two recessed 2 light windows the chamfered mullion remaining in one to right only, at first floor level. Later lean to extension to left. Barn to right with segmental arched doorway. Extension with catslide roof to right.
(Text edited from English Heritage's National Heritage List of England, 1983)
In February 2010 historic building recording (involving measured and photographic survey) was undertaken by Stephen Haigh Buildings Archaeologist prior to the conversion of the 18th century farmhouse and barn to residental use. The farmstead appears to have been established in the early or mid 18th century as a laithe house, in which a 2 cell house was built alongside a 2 bay barn, but these early buildings have been extended on at least four occasions to provide more domestic and agricultural accommodation.
The house's external appearance (particularly its front elevation) is largely unaltered . Inside, the housebody retains its original stone flagged floor, window seat, wall cupboard, fireplace and ceiling; the original stone stair also survives, although perhaps in poor condition beneath the later timber treads. The pantry, although probably not original is of historic interest, while the former rear doorway within the ruined eastern outshot is of archaeological interest as it appears to relate to a secondary phase of the building, thought to be the addition of a textile workshop to the north.
The barn is part of the original laithe house, and it retains an arched west doorway, pedestrian east doorway, and king post truss (albeit the latter is in poor repair). It was extended southwards in the 19th century, and 20th century alterations have left no original fixtures and fitting within the barn, although the flagged floor in the south end does survive. [For further details see the final report (Stephen Haigh, 2010) a copy of which is on file at West Yorkshire HER). |