19th century farm buildings at Home Farm, Gaunts End (EHER 49685)

Home Farm at Gaunts End (Gants End) is a complex of farm buildings 30 metres north-east of Hall Road. A plot of six conjoined buildings has been given permission for conversion to office and business use, and was recorded in 2022.

2022. Building survey. Notwithstanding the fabric of each building, none of them are shown on the 1839 Tithe Map. In fact the plot is empty save for one modest building oriented north-east to south-west. By 1876 the site is known as Cox's and all the buildings are shown in plan except the late 20th century hay barn and the late 20th century lean-tos. The open shelter retains only the perimeter wall from this period which has been roughcast on the western face. The range of workshops retains much of its original brickwork, some internal doors and much of the roof structure. The most complete building is the timber-framed barn which retains most of its frame and roof structure although it has been re-clad and given new doors. This building is made from machined softwood and would have been built late in the time period. All the bricks in the buildings are red/orange 65x110x225mm which is the standard Victorian brick size used universally except where specialist bricks were specified. All the timbers are machined softwood. The courtyard formation is typical of a Victorian High Farm. The open shelter has an inserted workroom walled with reused brickwork and railway sleepers. The workbench has sockets for a blacksmith's or saddler's vice and there are paint smear on the walls from auto paint. The whole building has a mid 20th century simple lean-to roof made with machined softwood plank tie-beams and common rafters. The steel framed hay barn is a typical product of the 1950's or 1960's and map evidence shows it appeared on the site between 1920 and 1970. Often, these buildings were bought up after WWII but there were several enterprising companies who sold them new at this time. The barn has a makers plate for W.H. Smith, Whitchurch Ltd, Whitchurch who were marketing and making a huge variety of steel buildings in the 1950's and 1960's. The workshop range has a parallel range of makeshift structures forming a store and aviaries, most likely for chickens. These are near temporary structures shown on the 1970 OS map. The workshop range was converted to offices, garaging, and stores in the 21st century. The timber-framed barn, workshop range, and the west perimeter wall forming the open shelter are the remnants of a Victorian High Farm established late in the period between 1839 and 1876. The hay barn represents the expansion of the farm after the austerity of the 1950's. <1>