Moss house Farm, Cockerham, Lancashire. Archaeological building investigation.

William Pye Ltd made a planning application to Lancaster City Council for the development of a pair of barns at Moss House, Gulf Lane, Cockerham, Lancashire (SD 42760 48623). As part of the planning procedure, the council consulted
Lancashire County Archaeological Service, which recommended a building recording programme of English Heritage (2006) Level II/III standard. This was to include a rapid desk-based assessment, which would provide an historical background and detail any changes in the development of the farmstead. In addition, a detailed site investigation was to be undertaken, comprising written descriptions, as well a detailed
photographic record, and site drawings of the floor plans and sections. Following these recommendations, the client requested that Oxford Archaeology North (OA North) undertake the building investigation, which was duly completed in June 2009.
The background research revealed little textual evidence, but the cartographic sources provided a sequence of building from the mid-nineteenth century through to the early decades of the twentieth century. The research demonstrated that from 1847, the appearance of the barns seems to have changed very little. Indeed, the extension on the west elevation of Barn B had been constructed by this date. Only the outshut to the rear of Barn B, is clearly of a much later date.