| Description | Farm buildings dating from the 17th and 18th centuries. Shown on the first edition OS mapping (surveyed 1848 1850; map sheet 230).
The site was visited by Chris Edwards (Principal Planning Office – Conservation, Calderdale Council) in 2007, as the owner wished to reconstruct the farm buildings. At the time of the visit the buildings were derelict but the barn on the north end of the cluster was stable with a temporary roof, and so retaining the trusses, purlins and rafters internally, as well as the byre divisions. The central ‘dwelling’ had evidence of a fireplace, and retained a set of steps descending to a half barrel vaulted cellar. The dressed stone reveals to the windows, along with the stone mullions, indicate an interesting variant from the more common ones in these parts, in running right through from external face to internal face, in an elongated cross section. The owner believed that the site may have historically been a piece/cloth out workers dwelling, with farming buildings attached, at various dates.
In November 2013 English Heritage were asked to consider the farm buildings for listing. A site visit from their Heritage Protection Team took place on 08/11/2013, and as a result it was decided not to list School Farm. Below is summary of English Heritage's observations:
School Farm has been derelict for a number of years and its condition has deteriorated over this time. At the time of writing there is a live planning application for restoration and conversion of the buildings into residential use, retaining the existing footprint and buildings heights, which is due to be determined on 20 December 2013. The buildings are not located within a conservation area, but are located within the Green Belt.
The farm consists of a farmhouse incorporating a mid 17th century single storey wing that was possibly an outbuilding range or two cottages originally, and an attached barn of probable early 18th century date with later alterations. The buildings are constructed of coursed hammer dressed local sandstone with well dressed quoining and window surrounds.
Exterior: The 17th century range's window surrounds and extremely large quoins that exist to the corners of the buildings and the doorways display well dressed stonework. The windows, where they survive, have cavetto shaped mullions and jambs; there is no glazing and there are no surviving doors. The 2 storey wing is located at the south east end of the C17 range and is aligned with its gable ends facing north east and south west. Both gable ends are missing original fabric, particularly the south west gable end, which is partially collapsed. The wing's roof structure has been lost, apart from what appear to be two side purlins that are now resting on the surviving masonry; two further timbers stand propped up against one of the walls. |