Record Details
| NHER Number: | 12173 |
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| Type of record: | Building |
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| Name: | Waterden House and Farm |
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Summary
The farm buildings here were built in the late 18th century for the Holkham estate, and were described by Arthur Young as 'the finest farm buildings in Britain'. The L-shaped barn here has reused medieval stonework from the parish church, including corbels, angels and gargoyles. In 1871 the barn was divided up and converted to animal feed houses, chaff house etc. Waterden House dates from 1781 and the shelter sheds to 1851-71 with a complete smithy also present to the south by 1871.
Images - none
Location
| Grid Reference: | TF 8873 3611 |
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| Map Sheet: | TF83NE |
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| Parish: | SOUTH CREAKE, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK |
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Full description
Built in the late 18th century for the Holkham estate, (and extended in the 1870s), these were described by Arthur Young as 'the finest farm buildings in Britain'.
The barn is largely built of reused medieval materials, some of which is obviously from a church - head corbels, capitals etc - and presumably comes from the adjacent deserted medieval village.
Information from [1].
5 October 1977. Visit by E. Rose (NAU).
The reused stone in the barn occupies portion of the north and south walls. All carvings are set in north wall - two angel corbels, two other corbels, one gargoyle, 13th century quatrefoil and tracery fragments.
Size and quality of these suggest they come from All Saints' Church, perhaps the aisle (1976).
There has been a barn on this site since 1591.
Waterden House dates from 1781: five bays, two storeys, red brick.
The date 1871 appears on one of the farm sheds.
House Listed Grade II 1984; barns not listed (added 1999).
Earliest Holkham estate farm to survive as a whole.
First described by Arthur Young in 1784; L shaped barn with three threshing floors, and stables with yards.
The older parts of the buildings, with the reused stone, are on a map of 1712.
In 1871 the barn was divided up and converted to animal feed houses, chaff house etc.
Stable block with accommodation for riding and cart horses now gutted except for harness room and chaff box.
Shelter sheds date from 1871 when yards divided up for intensive stock feeding, though outer ranges there in 1851.
To south are shelter sheds and complete smithy of 1871.
See reference (S1).
E. Rose (NLA) 13 January 1995.
Farm buildings listed II*, smithy II, 1999
List of aerial photographs and plan in file.
Detail plans of farmhouse in file (1997).
Monument Types
- BARN (Post Medieval to Modern - 1591 AD to 2050 AD)
- FARMSTEAD (Post Medieval to Modern - 1780 AD to 2050 AD)
- HOUSE (Post Medieval to Modern - 1781 AD to 2050 AD)
- BLACKSMITHS WORKSHOP (Post Medieval to Modern - 1871 AD to 2050 AD)
Associated Finds
- ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
Protected Status
- Listed Building
- Listed Building
- Listed Building
Sources and further reading
| --- | Photograph: SM. |
| --- | Aerial Photograph: TF 8836A-AQ. |
| --- | Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1996. TF8836/ABP - ABV. |
| --- | Article in Monograph: Wade-Martins, P., Fenner, G. and Goldsmith, R. 1982. Some Deserted Village Sites in Norfolk: V. Waterden. Trowse, Horning, Deserted Medieval Villages. East Anglian Arch. No 14. pp 66-78. |
| --- | Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card. |
| --- | Secondary File: Secondary File. |
| --- | Unpublished Document: Rose, E.. 1992. 1976 South Creake. All Saints' Church, Waterden. Revised Report. Building Report. p 4. |
| --- | Designation: English Heritage. 1990-2013. English Heritage Listing Notification. Notification. DNF4982. |
| <S1> | Publication: Wade-Martins, S.. 1994. Norfolk Farmsteads Thematic Survey. p.12-15. |
Related records - none
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