2007 PROJECT SELECTION

Sowerby Hall and Sowerby Lodge Farms, Barrow-in-Furness: Building Recording (Level 3 and 2)

Both of these ancient farmsteads were subject to level three building recordings prior to their conversion into residential properties. The earliest reference to Sowerby is in the Domesday Book, and it is evident that Furness Abbey was connected to the area from at least the 14th century, when it was granted hunting rights in Sowerby woods, which were emparked at this time. The history of the site has become confused with a settlement named Soler or Solergarth, due to antiquarians in the 19th and early 20th century assuming they were in the same place. The earliest structure at the site of Sowerby Hall Farm was a large seven-bay barn with a magnificent raised cruck roof structure supported by angled knee braces and curved wind braces. The only comparable local example of such a roof is at Park House farm near Heversham which is thought to date from the 16th century. Stone buttresses had been added to the barn at a slightly later date and further outshuts added, perhaps during the 18th century. Pieces of re-used dressed stone were evident in many of these additions, perhaps sourced from Furness Abbey, which indicates that they must have been constructed following its Dissolution in 1536.

Slipware, mottledware, and brown-glazed red earthenware

A typical raised cruck truss at Sowerby Hall

Re-used stone, presumably from Furness Abbey, at Sowerby Hall

Cross section through barn and outbuildings at Sowerby Hall

The buildings at Sowerby Lodge comprised a collection of barns and cowhouses, the largest of which had unfortunately been severely damaged by fire at some point and extensively rebuilt. Re-used cruck blades were also evident in the roof structure of a converted threshing barn and these probably indicate the presence of structures at the site that pre-date the present buildings although the farmhouse, which was not investigated at this stage, is thought to be 17th century. Again the buildings incorporated re-used stones that probably came from Furness Abbey, one particularly good example was part of a fluted column that was built into the wall over a barn doorway.

Re-used cruck blades at Sowerby Lodge

Decorative fragment of fluted column built into wall at Sowerby Lodge

Graffitti in doorway quoin at Sowerby Lodge