More information : Abbey Farm is situated to the west of the ruins of the Cistercian monastery at Croxden which is a scheduled monument. This complex of farm buildings forms a cogent group with the late-18th century Abbey Farmhouse to the north-east which is listed at Grade II, while to the south-east is the 18th century house known as Croxden Abbey which is also listed at Grade II.
On stylistic evidence the multi-purpose range immediately to the south of the farmhouse appears to have 18th century origins and was extended southwards in the second half of the 19th century. During the mid-19th century further agricultural buildings were constructed to the west and, although these were largely demolished in the 20th century, the eastern range of a large L-shaped building which carries a date stone of 1842 and a detached stable building survive.
Abbey Farm is situated in a fertile valley to the west of the monastic remains of Croxden Abbey. It includes a multi-period range of 18th century and 19th century date which comprises a number of cart sheds, an implement store, a granary and stables, to the south of Abbey Farmhouse; a mid-19th century range that incorporates an earlier structure, and a detached stable building to the west; and a block of pigsties that were built in the early 20th century. The remaining farm buildings are mostly modern structures.
The range to the south of the farmhouse is of several phases and steps down the gentle slope from north to the south. It is built of coursed, dressed and squared, local sandstone, which includes a quantity of dressed stone that has probably been taken from the abbey ruins and re-used, and some brick. The roofs are clad in plain tiles. From north to south it comprises a cart or wagon shed of two bays, a single-bay cartshed and a stable with a granary over; to the right of this is a two-bay open-sided shelter or further cartshed; and a stable block of three bays to the south end of the range. The principal elevation faces west. The left-hand (upper) cartshed has a section of weatherboarding beneath the eaves. Internally, there is a blocked opening in the rear (east) wall which is only visible within the building. The roof is of simple rafter construction but there are a number of reused timbers which extend the length of the building and are set into the end gable walls. The single-bay cartshed to the right has a cart entrance with replacement timber doors and a timber lintel and brickwork above the opening. To the left is a doorway to the stable which has an ex-situ medieval stone corbel attached to the keystone. The granary above is accessed via a flight of stone steps within the attached building to the right, although these appear to be a later addition. The interior of the granary is brick-lined and it retains wooden storage bins. The building to the right is a two-bay cart or shelter shed. The west elevation is open-fronted and a timber post on a stone pad supports the roof. Internally it has a king post truss. The lower (south) part of the range is a former stable block. Its principal elevation is symmetrical and has a central gabled entrance with a 20th century plank door. The lunette above the doorway is set within a heavy stone surround and has leaded lights. To the right of the doorway, within a recess in the masonry, is a medieval corbel. The entrance is flanked by square-headed windows with glazing bars. The interior of the stables retains a floor of brick and cobblestones, although the stalls and mangers have been removed. The east (rear) elevation of the range lacks any openings, but does incorporate a further carved corbel towards its south end.
To the south-west of the farmhouse is the east range of what was originally a large Z-shaped building; the other elements were demolished in the 20th century. It appears to have functioned as a combined barn and a cow house with a hay loft over. It is rectangular on plan, of seven bays, and is aligned roughly north-south. It is built of coursed, dressed and squared local sandstone with a plain tile roof. The northern half of the east elevation has four evenly-spaced doorways under heavy stone lintels, and small square-headed windows, one of which is an insertion or enlargement of an existing opening. A doorway towards the right-hand end is a later insertion. The southern end is blind with occasional ventilation holes, and it retains a building scar marking the position of a former range that is shown on historic maps but has since been demolished. The north gable wall has a loft door with stone lintel, ventilation slits, and a small square opening to the lower right-hand side. The west elevation has a scar-line at its northern end marking the position of the former north range. The northern half has four doorways to the ground floor; two are later insertions, two small square windows, and an opening above to a hayloft. The southern half of the west elevation retains evidence for an earlier structure incorporated into this range, in the form of a plinth and masonry of a slightly different character. Here there are two wide cart entrances which appear to be later insertions, and also evidence for a blocked window between the two. There is a date stone of 1842 at the centre of the elevation. The south gable end incorporates some re-used medieval masonry and single windows to the ground and upper floors; the latter has been inserted into a former loft doorway. Built against this gable wall is a cartway which was added by the late 19th century.
Internally, the northern part of this mid-19th century range is of two storeys, while the southern section is open to the roof, but the former loft doorway in the south gable wall would suggest that this part may also have originally been floored. The roof structure has been torched, and comprises braced queen post trusses with paired through purlins. In addition there is a single truss at the junction between the two-storey section and the southern part of the building which has a tie-beam, principals and raking struts.
To the north-west of the east range is a detached building of brick and stone which has been reduced in size in the 20th century. It incorporates the remains of an earlier masonry structure, possibly the corn mill marked on historic maps, within its fabric. It has a roof of plain tiles with ventilation at the ridge and brick corbelling at eaves level. The east elevation has a single doorway with stone lintel to the right-hand end and two stable doors which are later insertions in the southern half. The interior was not inspected. The block of three pigsties to the south of the farmhouse were built before 1923 and are constructed of ashlar and have plain tile roofs. They retain their walled and paved yards, and feeding troughs. Attached to the right-hand (east) end is a small single-cell building.
The Principles of Selection for Listed Buildings (March 2010), states that most buildings that date to the period before 1840 and retain a substantial proportion of their original fabric will be listed. More specifically, the Agricultural Buildings Selection Guide (English Heritage 2007), states that between 1840 and 1880, farm complexes that display a high level of intactness or those that demonstrate innovation or architectural distinction are typically selected for listing. More typical examples, that have undergone extensive alteration and are of utilitarian design, often positively contribute to the local historic environment, but are not considered to be of sufficient special interest to merit listing.
Abbey Farm is an example of an older farmstead improved through rebuilding and expansion from the mid-19th century. This was fairly commonplace in the period after 1840 when there was significant investment in agriculture. The architectural quality of the farm complex as a whole is limited since it comprises mostly buildings that are largely plain and functional. It is acknowledged that several buildings incorporate earlier masonry, but the original form and function of these structures cannot be determined.
Vernacular building traditions have been used in their construction, but the design of the buildings is largely utilitarian. That said the 19th century stables which form part of the multi-phase range to the south of the farmhouse is of a good quality with a symmetrical façade, probably reflecting capital investment in the farm at this time. However, internally it has lost its stalls and mangers and does not retain any noteworthy features. This range which has developed incrementally does retain late-18th century fabric at its northern end but overall it is a modest building that does not possess a cohesive architectural quality. The retention of storage bins in the granary, and the re-use of monastic masonry including sculptural fragments which provide a decorative element to the range, certainly add interest, but these features are not of sufficient special interest in their own right to outweigh the modest architecture of the range.
The farm was extended considerably in the mid-19th century with the addition of a number of buildings to the south-west of the house. Historic maps and an aerial photograph of the mid-20th century depict a large farm complex, including a corn mill. Unfortunately only two elements of this mid-19th century phase survive: the eastern range of a large Z-shaped building and a detached building to the north-west of the former; both have been altered. The east range is well-built, but it has been altered with the insertion of large openings to the south end and changes to door and window openings, and it does not retain any internal features of note. Furthermore it is of conventional form for its date and lacks any significant constructional or plan form characteristics. It must be acknowledged that the building is an impressive structure with imposing proportions, but it is not architecturally noteworthy in a national context, and does not exhibit a specialist function or technological innovation in its form or design. The pigsties, although relatively complete, are of late date and wholly typical in design. Although they are well-built masonry structures, they are no different in character and form from many late-19th and early-20th century examples in this area.
Although there is a loose relationship between the various farm buildings, this has been eroded by small-scale alterations sustained to each of the structures. Such changes have collectively had a detrimental effect on the historical integrity of the buildings and diminished their architectural quality. Several of the farm buildings of Abbey Farm may be later 18th century in origin, but key buildings such as the corn mill have been lost from the complex.
On balance, therefore, the degree of alteration, their modest architectural design, and the loss of historic interior fittings means that this farm complex in Croxden does not survive sufficiently well for its date. The ensemble arguably has local interest as a whole, but from a national perspective the buildings fall short of the requisite standard for designation. (1) |