WEST MIDLANDS FARMSTEADS AND LANDSCAPES PROJECT COUNTY SUMMARY REPORT FOR HEREFORDSHIRE Executive Summary Solutions to finding a future sustainable use for • Historic Farmstead Characterisation Reports for historic farmsteads and their buildings require an each county and the Central Conurbation which integrated approach, considering their merits as present a detailed analysis of the mapping of heritage assets, their contribution to landscape farmsteads in relationship to landscape character character and their role in the changing structure and type, and which are stored on the local of rural communities and economies. This report authority Historic Environment Record. summarises the results of mapping the historic An important aspect of this project is the fact that character and present use of historic farmsteads all the partners are using a consistent methodology in Herefordshire. This is part of the West Midlands for mapping farmsteads so that the data can be Farmsteads and Landscape Project (see www.english- combined to produce a regional picture of farmstead heritage.org.uk/wmidlandsfarmsteads) which has character. This report summarises the key findings of concluded that: the Historic Farmstead Characterisation Report for • Historic farmsteads are assets which make a Herefordshire, and the analysis of current use. significant and highly varied contribution to the rural building stock, landscape character and local Historic Farmsteads Survival and Change distinctiveness of the West Midlands. Across Herefordshire 4% of farmsteads have been • Historic farmsteads are assets which, through lost (well below the regional average of 10%), agricultural and other new uses, have significant these being concentrated in areas of 20th century potential to make an important contribution to the settlement expansion for example the suburban areas rural economy and communities away from market of Hereford. towns and other rural centres. Across the county the rates of survival of historic • This understanding can be used to inform farmsteads are higher than the average across the positive approaches to shaping the character and West Midlands region. 89% of farmstead sites have economy of places, which are tailored to the future retained some or all of their working buildings, conservation and use of historic farmsteads. against a regional average of 82%. There are strong differences between the low levels of change to the western borders with Wales and the much higher The Project has produced: levels of change in the plateau and lowlands of the • The West Midlands Farmsteads and Landscapes county: Project: Summary Report, which summarises the • 30% of farmsteads have retained all of their historic results of the whole project footprint/working buildings (regional average and sets out policy and land use implications, and 26%). recommendations and next steps for further work. • 35% of farmsteads have had some loss but retained more than 50% of their historic footprint (regional • Illustrated Farmstead Character Statements that average 40%). outline the historic character and present day role of historic farmsteads for the whole region and • 24% of farmsteads have retained some working the 26 National Character Areas that fall within or buildings but with more than 50% loss of their astride it. These bring together the results of all this historic footprint (regional average 16%). work, combined with the results of extensive survey Of the farmsteads that survive to the present day work and other available information. 60% do not include a listed building. Only 16% of • A Farmstead Use Report which provides a detailed farmsteads include a working building that is listed. statistical analysis of the patterns of farmstead use across the West Midlands, and their social and Landscape and Settlement Context economic role. Across Herefordshire the patterns of inherited • A Planning Tools Report. Tools for informing landscape character have been mapped by the Historic change at an area and site-based scale, in the Landscape Character assessment (HLC) and the form of an Area Assessment Framework for use in county report shows how the farmsteads data can be the development of planning guidance and land analysed in relationship to these patterns of landscape management, and a Site Assessment Framework character area and type. for identifying key issues at the earliest possible stage when adaptive reuse or new build are being Village-based settlement of farmsteads (6%, below considered in the context of a historic farmstead. the regional average of 12%) and hamlet-based settlement of farmsteads (5%, below the regional average of 12%) are located predominantly in the COUNTY SUMMARY REPORT FOR HEREFORDSHIRE low lying areas of Herefordshire and emphasise areas edge of water meadows or within areas of water where nucleated settlement has persisted since the meadows that were drained in the later 19th century. medieval period. Field barns are found in fruit growing areas and in the western uplands, where holdings were typically much Isolated farmsteads account for the remainder, smaller and more dispersed. reflecting the fact that the settlement pattern in Herefordshire – as a result of medieval and later changes, and in some places earlier ancient patterns Current Use of dispersed settlement - is characterised by a high degree of dispersal. Greater distances between • Successive waves of investment have reshaped the isolated farms are found in the lowland areas of county to a lesser extent than much of the region, Herefordshire. leaving it with the lowest capital endowment of any West Midlands county but a relatively large number of surviving historic farmsteads. Historic Farmstead Character • The proportion of farmsteads remaining Large to very large-scale farmsteads – including many purely in agricultural use is slightly higher than with large houses and working buildings of 18th elsewhere within the region but the tendency to century or earlier date - are concentrated in lowland diversification of working farms has been higher areas, in contrast to the predominance of smaller- than elsewhere. scale farmsteads in the Black Mountains area of • The likelihood of conversion to residential use is Herefordshire and more sporadically (such as around very slightly lower than elsewhere in the region, areas of common land) within the Herefordshire particularly in the west of the county as a result of Plateau. Small-medium scale farmsteads are more poorer access. concentrated in the areas where the pastoral element of agriculture is more dominant. • The participation of residents as directors of substantial business is lower than in counties with Smallholdings, outfarms and field barns display strong higher economic mass. localised patterns. Large outfarms are concentrated within the zones of large-scale farms, often on the Contents 1. The Context for the Project 2. Historic Farmsteads in Herefordshire 2.1 Landscape and Settlement Context 2.2 Historic Farmsteads Survival and Change 2.3 Historic Farmstead Character 2.4 Assessing Significance 3. The Use of Historic Farmsteads in Herefordshire 4. Key Issues for Herefordshire 5. Further Information Annexe 1: Farmstead Character Areas in Herefordshire Annexe 2: National Character Area Summaries Report by Neil Rimmington of Herefordshire Council, and Jeremy Lake of English Heritage. August 2010, based upon mapping by Natalie Cook of Herefordshire Council. 2 West Midlands Project County Report: Herefordshire COUNTY SUMMARY REPORT FOR HEREFORDSHIRE 1 THE CONTEXT FOR THE PROJECT 2 HISTORIC FARMSTEADS IN HEREFORDSHIRE The West Midlands Farmsteads and Landscapes The mapping of farmsteads across the county of Project has mapped and interpreted the locations and Herefordshire recorded 3092 farmsteads. It has in characteristics of historic farmsteads, and their current addition mapped 854 outfarms and field barns which use. Historic farmsteads, where the farmhouse and were established away from the main steading, to the working buildings are located, are integral to the the same method. Smallholding zones have also been rural landscape, its communities and economy. They identified and mapped. The resulting data has been display an immense diversity in their type, scale, form interpreted against the National Character Areas and use of materials, as well as differences in their (NCAs), the Herefordshire Historic Landscape Character survival as traditional groups. They developed in close assessment (HLC) and the Herefordshire Landscape relationship to their surrounding farmland, and as a Character Assessment (LCA). result they make a varied contribution to the character Section 6 of the Herefordshire Historic Farmstead of the landscape and to local distinctiveness. Their Characterisation Report displays the results of this future, and in particular that of the traditional farm mapping, the main findings of which are summarised buildings is increasingly dependent on finding a use below. This report is available for download through for which they were not originally intended. Through the Herefordshire Through Time website (www. understanding the character, condition and present day herefordshire.gov.uk/htt). role of historic farmsteads and their traditional working buildings, policy and delivery programmes can respond The Annexes to this county summary display the area appropriately in supporting their sustainable use, variations for the county. conserving landscape character and realising economic benefits. This informed