BELLE VUE FARM - 1683

The ruins of Belle Vue farm photographed on 24 May 2015. 

We found these buildings whilst out walking near Dalton in Lancashire, the site is located off Crow Lane and to get to the site we followed what is now a narrow public footpath but was once a gently curving farm track leading directly into the farmyard. The site is split in two by this track which used to continue through the yard and on for some time before joining the main road to the South. On the East side of the yard were a number of farm outbuildings including a stone barn whilst on the West side was the farmhouse itself.  

Up to 1849 the place was called Scott's Fold but by 1893 this has changed to Belle Vue farm the name it is currently known by. 

The Farmhouse was built in 1683 and originally had a stone tablet over the porch inscribed:-

S
IM
FS
1683

The building was North facing and originally two storeys high, it is built from local coursed sandstone rubble and originally had a stone slate roof, the main entrance used to have a porch with an arched doorway part of which can still be seen. I particularly liked the windows which are made from stone and have chamfered mullions with hoods, it was the windows that first led to me to believe that this was quite an old building.

The barn also used to have a date stone this being:-

ISM
1680

Now heavily overgrown with weeds, nettles and brambles the building is listed and slowly disintegrating. In 1987 the building was surveyed and at that time seemed largely intact although the roof had collapsed in places, it seems a number of attempts have been made at restoration and some stone cleaning and stacking of fallen materials was evident near the barn.

One of the farms outbuildings which would have been on the east side of the yard. Typical small arrow slit type windows which I have seen before in agricultural type buildings, nice timber lintel over the door. I believe this building dates to 1680.

More stonework from buildings beyond the barn stick out of the undergrowth.

The West elevation of the farmhouse showing the old stone window.

The main entrance looking North from within the building, the archway can be seen, other pieces of stone from the archway could be seen on the floor amongst other fallen debris.

North East corner of the farmhouse, the floor looks like it had collapsed here into a cellar.

Stone window to the North elevation, unlike the window to the West elevation this was missing its mullion. As this was to the right of the main entrance porch it seems to have received a better quality stone window and hood when compared to the West side. As they are only a few feet apart and quite easily seen together this is a bit strange although it is not unusual for the main elevations of buildings to receive a better treatment. The West elevation window looks older to me, perhaps the North one was replaced at some time in the past, possibly as part of some other building work or the addition of the porch.