Listed Building record MDR23834 - Two Barns at Silkstone Farm, No. 1 Stone Close, Dronfield

Two barns at Silkstone Farm, No. 1 Stone Close, Dronfield, built by 1835. An historic building survey was carried out in 2021 and concluded that both barns are of likely 18th century date, at least by Sanderson's map of 1835. They were part of a U-plan farmstead, reduced in size in the last quarter of the 20th century due to development of Stone Close. The southern barn is the later of the two and was originally a stable with a pigeon loft over. The eastern barn has been changed considerably but it was most likely a cow house with a hay loft above and later used as a stable. Both buildings were converted to pig stys. The roof of the south barn has been replaced, with the exception of the tiebeam that has a prominent burn mark present. (1) 'Barn 1: the two bay, two storey barn is west - east oriented, of coursed squared coal measures sandstone construction beneath a gable roof of stone flags. The north elevation was designed to be the frontage of the building with a pair of ground floor doorways. At ground floor level two feeding shutes of the type associated with pigsties have been inserted. The west gable has a first floor doorway in the same style as the ground floor ones of the north elevation, accessed via a set of stone steps. A window is located high in the gable with a large ledge indicating that the window originally provided access into the loft for birds. The internal dividing wall has been removed and the first floor replaced. The ground floor is of modern concrete. The west door is of construction that is likely to date from when the building was erected. The first floor has pigeon nesting boxes into the north, west and south walls. On the east face of the tiebeam is a burn mark which may have been created by deliberately holding a candle flame to the timber. These marks are thought to be associated with superstitious beliefs. From the frontage of the barn combined with the narrow doorways indicates that barn 1 was originally a stable... ...Barn 2: the two bay, two storey barn is north - south oriented, of coursed squared coal measures sandstone construction beneath a gable roof of Welsh slate. The gables have coping stones and ogee kneelers that match the farmhouse. At ground floor level there are feeding shutes, like those in Barn 1. Both the ground floor and first floor doors are of construction that is consistent with late Victorian. The first few courses of stonework below the eaves are slightly more regular than those below suggesting that the building has been altered most probable a re roofing. The south gable is clearly built over by stonework relating to Barn 1 and has a blocked first floor door. The north gable has a modern ground floor garage opening with the roofline of the no longer extant pigsty. The building has undergone considerable change but the size of the ground floor doorway would suggest that it functioned as a cow house. The internal timber hooks present are of a type found in stables and tack rooms to carry harnesses usually associated with horses indicating the building was used as a stable.' (1) From the National Heritage List for England: 'PARISH OF DRONFIELD STONE ROAD SK 37 NE 6/55 Range of outbuildings to the east of Silkstone Farmhouse GV II Farm outbuildings. Late C18 with C20 alterations. Coursed squared coal measures sandstone, east range with coped gables and moulded kneelers, south range with plain gables. Welsh slates and stone slates. L-shaped range. South range, single storey with overlofts, two bays, each bay with a doorway with massive jambs, with bonding stones below deep lintels, and planked stable doors. Above each doorway square overloft windows with flush stone frames and 2-light windows. Between the doorways, two square openings with flush surrounds and metal bars, below which are openings with angled flagstones, giving access to internal feeding troughs. Similar openings are to be found on the rear elevation. East range advanced, two bays with overloft. Central stable doorway beneath segmental arch, planked stable door. Flanking square windows with deep lintels and C20 garage door inserted into north gable. Feeding trough openings below ground floor windows. Included for group value only. Listing NGR: SK3626579479.' (2)