Hollies Farm, School Lane, Hartford, Cheshire West and Chester.

Redrow Homes submitted a planning application to Vale Royal Borough Council (VRBC) concerning the demolition of redundant agricultural buildings, prior to the construction of new dwellings, on the site known as Hollies Farm, Hartford, Cheshire West and Cheshire (NGR SJ 6427 7200). An archaeological building investigation of English Heritage (2006) Level II standard was recommended by VRBC, in order to provide a permanent record of the farm buildings and the associated farmhouse, although this was not included in the proposed programme of demolition. In response to this, Redrow Homes commissioned Oxford Archaeology North (OA North) to carry out the archaeological building investigation. This was duly carried out in March 2010.
Hollies Farm incorporates the farmhouse with a number of ancillary buildings within its gardens, and along with this a farmyard comprising a range of agricultural buildings. The farmhouse is located a short distance away from the farmyard and faces into it. The individual farm buildings within the farmyard comprise a large barn, and the remnants of a cow shed. These have been incorporated within a number of
modern buildings of mixed function. According to the datestone present in the eaves of the gable, the farmhouse was constructed in c 1761.