Ancient local farmhouses

The countryside we drove through last week was once the ancient seat of the Worrall family. There are several substantial dwellings sheltered by the crest of the hilltop and surrounded by other farm buildings. All the farmhouses have interesting historical features.

This farm has windows with stained glass panels in them and a chimney stack with emblems of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem because the property and land had once been owned by a local priory, The Priory of St. John of Jerusalem, dissolved in Tudor times, then owned by wealthy local nobility, patrons of the Worralls.

This house and farm was the former manorial home of one branch of the Worrall family. The open pediment over the front door and an ancient barn still containing four sets of oak cruck timbers indicate that it was an important dwelling. There are only one or two cruck barns in the area that have survived and this one is well-preserved.

Illus. Bob Warburton 

In a cruck building the weight is carried on pairs of timbers called cruck blades which rise from the

the ground base and meet at the apex of the roof.  The wood for the blades is selected from

naturally bent trees. The structure is strengthened by the cross beams.

It was an interesting experience to see these architectural features and learn about the history of this farming community in former times. 

A walk around Ughill

Do you remember when I went on a guided walk in the Summer?  Here are some more about that morning when we walked from our starting point by 'Edgefield' overlooking Bradfield Dale to Ughill Height where moorland meets farmland.

The hamlet of Ughill is in a sheltered, but isolated spot and was the ancient seat of the Worrall family. This family and its members lived in many of the properties in the area. Most of them are still working farms and it was a privilege to visit them.

                  A double water trough and a watering hole sourced by a natural spring.

  

 

The postal service is an important one for this little community.  The post box is set into one of the farmhouse walls at the junction to the hamlet where every property is some distance away from each other.

This is the entrance to one of the properties which we visited. 

This is a corner of the property where we had a warm welcome from the resident cat.