| Abstract: |
The photographic recording of this almost-entirely redundant farmstead was undertaken to accompany a drawn survey and written description in April, 2022, using digital photography. All elevations were photographed as far as possible face-on and from a consistent height and perspective. Where possible, all record photographs included a scaled ranging pole. Where it was not possible to capture an entire elevation in a single photograph because of the constricted nature of the site, a series of partial elevations were recorded along with an oblique overall view of the full elevation. The written and photographic record of the farm was enhanced, in April 2022 by use of a digital scanner to record significant parts of the complex, while, in addition, an attempt was made to research the history of the building through locally available historic maps and records which could shed light on the history of the buildings, although little of significance was located other than historic Ordnance Survey plans. The extensive complex of buildings at Great Isle Farm has its origins in the later medieval period, but elements of it survived when the complex was remodelled as a planned farm in the early 19th century, since when it has undergone several phases of addition and alteration. The buildings are mostly built of roughly-coursed Magnesian Limestone rubble, with some use of brick and later buildings entirely of brick. Overall, in its most recent incarnation as a planned farm, the buildings provide a good example of a mid-19th century farmstead, subsequently adapted between the mid-19th and mid-20th centuries to suit changing requirement. Evidence for such adaptations is apparent in changes made to the structures at the farm, but the building of new, larger sheds from around 1970 indicates that these changes were not entirely successful, leaving the farm abandoned and susceptible to gradual physical decay. While elements of the 19th century planned farm have architectural merit and are of local and potential regional interest in that regard, the principal claim to architectural and historic interest within the extant, above-ground fabric of the complex lies with the surviving medieval elements in the Farmhouse, Chapel Range, Stable and northern Barn, of which the Chapel Range is as once the most complete and vulnerable to decay. While the Chapel Range (List Entry Number: 1121503) is accepted by the Historic England Listing as late medieval in origin with subsequent alteration around 1600, the farmhouse (List Entry Number: 1322844) is listed as of 17th-century origin and the stable (List Entry Number: 1121504) and northern barn (List Entry Number: 1322805) of 18th-century origin, which together indicates at least four major phases of development prior to the planned farm of the early 19th century. Recent reassessment of the buildings suggests, however, that while the Chapel Range (or which no evidence of ecclesiastical origin is apparent) is indeed of late-medieval origin - the four-centred windows certainly appear late 16th-century at latest - some or all of the other three listed buildings may also be earlier than previously thought. The first bay of the south elevation of the farmhouse, for example, is in line with the Chapel Range, and the early chamfered plinth of the latter continues beneath it, while on the ground floor at the west end of the wall are traces of several blocked openings, some with splayed and chamfered lintels which may be contemporary with the late-medieval Chapel Range. |
