Saighton Lane Farm
Encyclopedia
Saighton Lane Farm is a historical farm
in Saighton Lane, 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) to the north-northeast of the village of Saighton
, Cheshire
, England. The farmhouse and the farm buildings are recognised separately as Grade II listed buildings by English Heritage
.
for 1st Duke of Westminster
on his Eaton Hall estate and designed by the Chester
firm of architects Douglas & Fordham.
dressings and diapering
in blue brick and some timber framing
. It has a red tile roof. The plan consists of a main wing facing Saighton Lane and two separate wings at the rear, forming a U-shape. The building has two storeys plus attics. The main front has three bays
with timber framing in its upper storey and attic. The central bay projects forward towards the lane and contains a porch. In its lower storey is a three-light mullion
ed casement window
on the left and the porch, which is recessed and framed, is on the right. The upper storey contains a three-light window and in the gable
above it is a two-light window. Around these windows is timber-framed panelling
. The frames over the porch contain the inscriptions "The profit of the earth is for all; the King himself is served by the field", and "Every house is builded by some man, but he that built all things is God", the latter being a text taken from the Epistle to the Hebrews
. The lateral bays each have a mullioned window in the ground floor. The return to the left of the main front has a gable containing a window and timber-framed panelling. There are three brick chimney stacks. One rises from the right return and has a plinth
and three flues with twisted brickwork; another rises from the rear of the main wing and is similar, with four flues. The third chimney stack at the rear of the left wing is plain.
Together with the farmhouse, the farm buildings form three sides of a quadrangle, open towards the lane. There are two two-storey wings, one opposite the farmhouse, the other at the rear, and a smaller single storey wing behind the farmhouse. The upper storey of the wing opposite the house has timber framing in the upper storey; otherwise the buildings are in brown brick with blue brick diapering. In the gable at the end of the wing opposite the farmhouse facing the lane is a two-light mullioned window surrounded by panelling. Douglas submitted his design for this building and for Wrexham Road Farm
at the Royal Academy
in 1888. The authors of the Buildings of England
series describe this model farm as "a particularly nice one".
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
in Saighton Lane, 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) to the north-northeast of the village of Saighton
Saighton
Saighton is a civil parish and village in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England, a few miles south of Chester...
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, England. The farmhouse and the farm buildings are recognised separately as Grade II listed buildings by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
.
History
The farm was built in 1888–89 as a model farmModel Farm
A model farm was an 18th–19th century experimental farm, which researched and demonstrated improvements in agricultural techniques, efficiency, and building layout. Education and commitment to improving welfare standards of workers were also aspects of the ideal farm movement...
for 1st Duke of Westminster
Hugh Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster
Hugh Lupus Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster KG, PC, JP , styled Viscount Belgrave between 1831 and 1845 and Earl Grosvenor between 1845 and 1869 and known as the 3rd Marquess of Westminster between 1869 and 1874, was an English landowner, politician and racehorse owner.He inherited the estate of...
on his Eaton Hall estate and designed by the Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
firm of architects Douglas & Fordham.
Architecture
The farmhouse is built in brown brick with sandstoneSandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
dressings and diapering
Diapering
Diaper is any of a wide range of decorative patterns used in a variety of works of art, such as stained glass, heraldic shields, architecture, silverwork etc. Its chief use is in the enlivening of plain surfaces.-Etymology:...
in blue brick and some timber framing
Timber framing
Timber framing , or half-timbering, also called in North America "post-and-beam" construction, is the method of creating structures using heavy squared off and carefully fitted and joined timbers with joints secured by large wooden pegs . It is commonplace in large barns...
. It has a red tile roof. The plan consists of a main wing facing Saighton Lane and two separate wings at the rear, forming a U-shape. The building has two storeys plus attics. The main front has three bays
Bay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
with timber framing in its upper storey and attic. The central bay projects forward towards the lane and contains a porch. In its lower storey is a three-light mullion
Mullion
A mullion is a vertical structural element which divides adjacent window units. The primary purpose of the mullion is as a structural support to an arch or lintel above the window opening. Its secondary purpose may be as a rigid support to the glazing of the window...
ed casement window
Casement window
A casement window is a window that is attached to its frame by one or more hinges. Casement windows are hinged at the side. A casement window (or casement) is a window that is attached to its frame by one or more hinges. Casement windows are hinged at the side. A casement window (or casement) is a...
on the left and the porch, which is recessed and framed, is on the right. The upper storey contains a three-light window and in the gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
above it is a two-light window. Around these windows is timber-framed panelling
Panelling
Panelling is a wall covering constructed from rigid or semi-rigid components. These are traditionally interlocking wood, but could be plastic or other materials....
. The frames over the porch contain the inscriptions "The profit of the earth is for all; the King himself is served by the field", and "Every house is builded by some man, but he that built all things is God", the latter being a text taken from the Epistle to the Hebrews
Epistle to the Hebrews
The Epistle to the Hebrews is one of the books in the New Testament. Its author is not known.The primary purpose of the Letter to the Hebrews is to exhort Christians to persevere in the face of persecution. The central thought of the entire Epistle is the doctrine of the Person of Christ and his...
. The lateral bays each have a mullioned window in the ground floor. The return to the left of the main front has a gable containing a window and timber-framed panelling. There are three brick chimney stacks. One rises from the right return and has a plinth
Plinth
In architecture, a plinth is the base or platform upon which a column, pedestal, statue, monument or structure rests. Gottfried Semper's The Four Elements of Architecture posited that the plinth, the hearth, the roof, and the wall make up all of architectural theory. The plinth usually rests...
and three flues with twisted brickwork; another rises from the rear of the main wing and is similar, with four flues. The third chimney stack at the rear of the left wing is plain.
Together with the farmhouse, the farm buildings form three sides of a quadrangle, open towards the lane. There are two two-storey wings, one opposite the farmhouse, the other at the rear, and a smaller single storey wing behind the farmhouse. The upper storey of the wing opposite the house has timber framing in the upper storey; otherwise the buildings are in brown brick with blue brick diapering. In the gable at the end of the wing opposite the farmhouse facing the lane is a two-light mullioned window surrounded by panelling. Douglas submitted his design for this building and for Wrexham Road Farm
Wrexham Road Farm, Eccleston
Wrexham Road Farm was a farmhouse and farm buildings lying to the east of Wrexham Road, Eccleston, Cheshire, England. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II listed building, and it is now part of Chester Business Park.-History:...
at the Royal Academy
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
in 1888. The authors of the Buildings of England
Pevsner Architectural Guides
The Pevsner Architectural Guides are a series of guide books to the architecture of the British Isles. Begun in the 1940s by art historian Sir Nikolaus Pevsner, the 46 volumes of the Buildings of England series were published between 1951 and 1975. The series was then extended to Scotland and...
series describe this model farm as "a particularly nice one".