Listed Building record MDR12174 - Home Farm, West of Shipley Hall, Shipley Lane, Shipley

Home Farm, west of Shipley Hall, Shipley Lane, Shipley, built in 1861. 'In 1860-1, WE Nesfield was brought in to build the turreted model farm with its dairy, richly tiled by Minton, to give a highly ecclesiastical effect, heightened by the 'four seasons' in stained glass by H J Westlake.' (1) 'This farm will probably decay beyond repair before restoration will occur and therefore it was of utmost importance to record it. Measurements of particular parts, such as top of the circular tower and dairy, had to be measured with extreme care since the timber roof structure has decayed.' (1978). (2) 'Original drawings of the building are a rarity considering that Nesfield would never allow any of his executed works to be published and at his death, he left strict instructions that all his original works should be destroyed. Nesfield never made a 'show drawing' of Home Farm or any other of his buildings, nor did he ever send drawings to the Royal Academy Exhibition.' (3) 'Home Farm served Shipley Hall and was built for Alfred Edward Miller Mundy who had the farm incorporate the latest methods of farming. The Home Farm as it is known today replaced an earlier farm and was built purely to provide dairy produce for the Hall and its staff. The farm was designed by William Eden Nesfield as a model dairy farm, far more extravagant than any other in the district. The milking parlour had ceramic tiles on the walls, and the over all standard of equipment and facilities were better than usual at this time. The design of the dairy is supposedly based upon the farm which served the Versailles Palace. The dairy is octagonal in plan shape and conceals a host of original Victorian details. Inside there existed a font, fountain or mixing bowl, and this stood about 5ft high. The walls of the dairy are painted in a red, cream and black zig-zag pattern. The four seasons stained glass windows have also been removed and are now renovated. The crest of the Miller Mundys occurs in several places. The squire (last tenant of the mill) died in 1920 and the Hall became empty, fell into disuse, and was eventually demolished. The farm continued to operate as a farm until 1966.' (4) From the National Heritage for England: 'This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 14/01/2013 SK 44 SW 5/46 14.10.74 PARISH OF SHIPLEY SHIPLEY PARK ROAD (East Side) Home Farmhouse and associated farm buildings GV II* Model farm and attached farmhouse. 1861 by W E Nesfield, restored from 1980 onwards. Built for Alfred Miller-Mundy of Shipley Hall. Red brick, with sandstone and buff brick bandings, and blue brick copings to the plinths. Sandstone dressings, those to the house now painted. Half hipped plain tile roofs to farm buildings with geometric designs in red tiles and blue tile banding, also with crested ridge tiles. Farmhouse also has a tiled roof with similar designs, plus stone coped gables with ridge finials, large brick side wall stacks and a scrolled weathervane to top of the tower which has a decorated pyramidal roof. Farmhouse and buildings are grouped round three sides of a courtyard, the farmhouse to the south-east corner with the dairy attached to east side and the farm buildings attached to west. 'Old English' style. The farmhouse is single storied with attics and has a square tower to north-east corner. South elevation has an advanced gabled bay with casements to central bay window below and 2-light casement window above, with chamfered lintel and pointed relieving arch filled with decorative brickwork. To west,low range with two cambered headed casements. East elevation has narrow pointed window with decorative brickwork in relieving arch to south and the tower to north with an attached archway between to east, leading through to the dairy. The archway has a segmental brick head with carved roundels on the stone impost blocks. The tower has casement windows below a decorative upper storey with stone stringcourse, geometric designs in coloured brickwork and above stone and brick banding with 2-light openings to north and east sides. The octagonal dairy to east has brick banding to base and large casement windows above to north and east. Just below the eaves to north-west, north-east, south-east and south-west are chamfered 2-light windows with cusped circular openings. South elevation has a stone plaque inscribed 'AMM'. The roof (presently untiled) has a wooden dovecot to top with arcaded sides. Interior, formerly with Albert Moore decorations, now has slate shelves and some painted decoration. Farm buildings on west side of house consist of north range of pigsties with cowsheds to west and attached west range with a stable to north, large carriage arch to centre and more stabling to south, ending in a circular dovecot. Pigsties are single storey and have cambered brick arches into the sties and brick walls to front with inset stone feeding troughs. Cowsheds to west have five stable doors with cambered headed windows to sides, also to the east end is another stone feeding trough. Western range has segment headed doorcase with stable door to north, the central flat archway on wooden brackets and another flat headed stable door to south with wide double doors beyond. Attached to south-west corner of these stables is the dovecot which has brick banding to base with a sawtooth band to the top and stone and brick banding over. Lower stage has cambered headed narrow window and above it has louvred openings. Conical roof has gableted openings on projecting corbels on north, south, west and east and is topped by a sunburst finial. Buildings to south are not included in the listing. Coadestone fountain and ornamental wrought iron gates with bird motifs being restored. Sources: C Eastlake - 'A History of Gothic Revival'. Listing NGR: SK4362944261.' (5)