Engine House/Granary Range And Adjoining Barn At Enholmes Farm

Engine house, granary and adjoining barn at Enholmes Farm

Built in 1849 for William Marshall, this agricultural complex comprises a 13-bay engine house and granary range with an adjoining 11-bay barn, forming the north side of the farmyard. The structures are constructed in orange-brown brick with orange rubbed-brick dressings. The roofs, which were originally of 19th-century construction, have been re-covered in the 20th century with asbestos.

The main 2-storey range is topped by a central 3-storey, single-bay engine house tower, with a lower 2-storey, 2-bay section extending to the east. Plinth and quoins articulate the structure throughout.

On the south elevation, the main range features a central round-headed board door with a cat-hole, boarded upper panel (formerly glazed), and radial fanlight beneath a rubbed-brick arch. This is flanked by pairs of entrances—three with board doors and one with a window and blocking below—plus three windows to each side, all with segmental arches. The first floor has a central round-headed window flanked by segmental-headed windows and two doors to the right. Three rows of cylindrical clay pipe breathers run at mid-ground-floor, first-floor and eaves level. A series of cast-iron tie bar ends for machine fittings appears on the central section. The tower displays a 2-course brick second-floor band with a recessed round-headed panel above containing a hole for a former clock. A cast-iron corniced gutter and water tank surround the truncated octagonal chimney. The flanking roof has projecting eaves with exposed rafter ends, moulded brackets and plain barge boards to the gables. The lower section to the right is set back and has a wide segmental-arched door with a segmental-headed window; a pair of similar first-floor windows; and a hipped roof. All openings feature rubbed-brick arches, rounded jambs to doors, ashlar sills, and 20th-century glazing to windows.

The west side shows twin gable ends, with the granary range set back to the right. Each gable contains a central full-height round-headed opening with recessed 2-fold sliding board doors beneath lintels—the barn retains its original timber lintel while the granary has a concrete lintel. Above these is a recessed panel containing a central sliding door to the first floor. A projecting timber hoist bracket appears on the barn, with rows of pipe breathers and a single inserted 20th-century ventilator hood on each gable.

The east side features the barn's gable end to the right, with a similar round-headed opening containing a pair of sliding doors. The section to the left, set back from the main line, has single segmental-headed windows on each floor.

The north side of the barn shows a round-headed waggon entrance to the left of centre with a sliding board door, and a single ground-floor window to the right. Above this section are a pair of segmental-headed pitching hatches. To the right are seven similar hatches and one round-headed door.

The interior preserves a 13-bay king-post roof to the barn. The engine house and granary range contain iron drive-shafts, wheels, trap doors and hoists. Formerly, this section housed a steam-driven corn mill, chaff- and root-cutters, elevator and other machinery, along with a kitchen for animal feed preparation. The entire installation was served by a system of railways.

The farm was regarded as a model farm of its period, representing one of many improvements undertaken by the Marshalls. The family also built nearby Enholmes Hall, Enholmes Brick and Tile Works and a Flax Mill, now demolished.