DISAPPEARING FARMSTEADS
Due to the change over to mechanised farming which has taken place during the last 40-45 years, many of the old farmsteads have been demolished and the land either bought or taken over by larger farms or estates. For instance, Warter Estates have demolished several old farmsteads and have erected larger sheds in more centralised positions on the estate in which to house their large and expensive machinery. Also they have built large covered cattle sheds where 200 or so cattle can be fed mechanically. As an example, “Tithe Farm”, 620 acres, was farmed from 1940-1976 by Robert Caley. After his death Warter Estate incorporated the land into the management of the estate, and demolished the farmstead and farmhouse, leaving only two Dutch barns standing. The farmstead consisted of a large foreman’s house, two fold yards (cattle yards), three granaries, wagon sheds, a blackSmith’s shop and stables for twenty or more horses. Previous to 1930 there were up to sixteen workers on the farm. Eight of them were boarded and lodged in the foreman’s house, known as the “hind’s” house, seven of the workers “living in” were horsemen, consisting of the head horseman, “wag” (wagoner), Third lad “thoddy”, fourth lad “fowatt”, plus four younger boys to help in the stables. Also an older man “lived in” who helped with any job on the farm and known as a “Tommy owt”. Another four or five labourers living in the village worked on the farm, either amongst the sheep or Stock or just general labourers. Foremen at Tithe Farm:- John Soanes, Markaduke Wilson (Miss Foxton’s Grandparents), William Dunkley, Joseph Cox, Templeman, Vic Berriman, Bill Lambert, Harry Hinch, Stan Hancock (1940), Ray Hancock, Don Gibson – the last one. “South grange” is another farmstead which has been totally demolished – it too is part of Warter Estate. Former Farmers:- George Grub, William Kirby, William Hornsby, Robert Holtby, R. Gospel, Waslin, Warter Estate.
Rawsons Mill
The windmill which once stood on the hill and just away from the left-hand side of Middleton Road, was last used for grinding corn between 1914-18. “The Mill” was also a small farm, maybe about 80-100 acres. The farmer\millers were:- Joseph Imeson, Arthur Dook, Henry Rawson, Billie Rawson, Miss Rawson, Tom Young. The old windmill was finally demolished sometime in the 30’s. The farmhouse and adjacent buildings were demolished maybe about 1980 and Bainton Burrows acquired the land. Carr Lodge (Map 2, number 40) was a farm previous maybe to 1880 – the fields known as easedales “Easils” were farmed from Carr Lodge. An interesting point is that in the parish award 1779 the easedales – cowpasture – that is the field at the end of Back Lane and the plot on which Carr Lodge stands, all belonged to the Duke of Devonshire. Wynthorpe house (Map 5 number 45) was also a farmstead with a barn, a granary, cart sheds and a stable. Between 1950 and 1980 the farmer, Ken Burks, built up a high yielding dairy herd of Freisian cows. After disposing of the herd, he used the empty yards and buildings to rear pigs. When he felt the time had come to think about retiring, he demolished the buildings and sold the site to a developer, who built what is now known as Wynthorpe meadowS. Map 2, numbers 28.29 and 8a were all farmsteads, part of South Field. Now only the house and buildings at 28 remain as they were. Mill Farm House (number 29) is now a private residence not connected with farming. Stephenson’s Wold also demolished on Warter Estate.
| Previous page | Next page |