Cowhouse Adjoining North West Corner Of Midhope Hall Farmhouse

The cowhouse adjoining the north-west corner of Midhope Hall Farmhouse is a Grade II listed building, likely dating from the 14th century, with later additions and extensive rebuilding in the 20th century. It is constructed from squared gritstone rubble, with earlier work being irregular, and features a Welsh slate roof. The structure has two storeys and seven bays, with quoins present.

On the right side, there is a cart entrance now supported by a steel joist. To the left, four cowhouse doors have chamfered quoined surrounds and large lintels. The first floor includes two square pitching holes and two doorways from the 20th century. The rear of the building has been mostly altered, but traces of earlier work remain, including massive quoins on the right reveal of the cart entrance and evidence of an earlier roof to the right of centre, along with a large corbel and a blocked first-floor doorway (now a window) with quoined reveals.

Inside, the cowhouse features an octagonal oak post in the center with a simple capital that supports a pad with roll mouldings at each end. Above this post is a heavy longitudinal ceiling beam that has been scarfed. A first-floor window at the right end retains a chamfered rectangular opening with a timber lintel shaped with trefoiled heads for four former lights, although the mullions have been removed.

Midhope Hall Farm is historically significant as it was the site of an important manorial center held by the De Midhope family from the 12th century to the early 14th century, and later by the De Barnby family.