Barn Conversion, Hankinson's Farm, Moss Side Lane, Stalmine, Poulton-Le-Fylde, Lancashire - Archaeological Building Investigation

Planning permission (Ref: 02/03/00371) has been granted for the conversion of a barn at Hankinsons Farm, Stalmine, near Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire (NGR SD 391 451) to a dwelling. The barn is illustrated on the first edition Ordnance Survey map of 1844, resulting in Lancashire County Archaeology Service (LCAS) issuing a recording condition to carry out an archaeological investigation prior to any construction works. A verbal brief was issued by LCAS stipulating building recording to English Heritage level II/III standard (English Heritage 2006). The owner, Mr Jon Wolstenholme, commisioned Oxford Archaeology North (OA North) to carry out the building investigation following the approval of a project design (Appendix I) by LCAS. Hankinsons Farm is a small farmstead with buildings of varying dates clustered around a central yard. The complex consists of the barn under investigation, together with a contemporaneous farmhouse, pig sty and late nineteenth century multi-phase milking parlour which is located to the east of the barn. Some large sheds of late twentieth century date have also been erected. A rapid map regression was carried out which showed that the barn was not on the 1833 enclosure awards map it but does appear on the 1841 tithe map providing a date range for its construction. However, the enclosure awards map did illustrate that the land containing the farm, together with the surrounding land, was allotted to a Mary Hankinson, from whom the farm obviously acquired its name. The tithe map schedule of 1841 however, makes no reference to Mary Hankinson suggesting that the land may have been sold on. The results of the building investigation concur with the suggested date of construction; the general appearance and construction methods, together with the fabric of the barn, appears consistent with an early-mid nineteenth century date. The barn is a T-shaped threshing barn with a large porch doorway on the northern side, and a shippon and loft at the east (widest) end divided from the main part by a brick cross wall. The main fabric is hand-made brick which was probably produced locally (two clay pits are illustrated on Ordnance Survey maps of 1892, 1912 and 1932). It is probably of a single phase and stands little altered from its original plan, the exception being two later additions, probably from the mid and late twentieth century. In addition, some internal modification has taken place, most notably in the shippon where late twentieth century milking stalls and apparatus was installed. Some graffiti dating to 1934 was discovered on one of the remaining doors on the porch on the northern side of the barn, together with two additional undated inscribed letters. A second, smaller porch probably once existed on the south side but the date of this is impossible to deduce. The investigations found no evidence of an historic link or connecting block between the barn and the milking parlour to the east. It is recommended that as much of the original hand-made brick fabric of the barn as possible be retained. Allied to this, it is also recommended that the original layout of the barn be retained, where possible.