Range Of Farm Buildings To North Of Stevens Farmhouse

This is a range of farm buildings constructed in 1852 by Beadle, Son and Chancellor for James Crush, forming a model farm to the north of Stevens Farmhouse. The buildings are constructed of Flemish bond brown brick with red brick dressings and have hipped slate roofs. The layout comprises three covered yards facing south, flanked to the north by a barn range and to the east and west by two-storey ranges. The west range contains a granary and hayloft over a stable range, while the east range incorporates a root house, cowhouse, and tool box. A single-storey hackney stable, harness room, and coach house range projects southwards from the west range, and a piggery and horse yard range projects westwards from the north end of the stable range.

The covered yards are divided into nine bays by three bays, supported by cast iron columns and iron King-post trusses. The east and west ranges feature flat brick arches above stable doors with louvred overlights, and segmental brick arches above centre-hung cast-iron casements with glazing bars. An open fronted upper floor is supported by brick piers. The barn, accessible from the yards via three double-entries, has sliding doors, plank loft doors, and ventilation holes to its rear (north) elevation. The east and west elevations of the flanking ranges are marked by pilasters. The north elevation of the piggery and horse yard range also features pilasters. The east elevation of the hackney stable and coach house range includes four semi-circular arched lancet windows, a flat brick arch over a plank door to the stable, and plank sliding doors to the coach house. The interiors have stone-flag floors and King-post trusses.

This farm complex is recognized as an early example of a mid-19th century farm design utilizing covered yards, a farming method increasingly promoted in the later 1850s for its efficiency in conserving farmyard manure, supported by contemporary scientific research. Original plans are held in the Essex Record Office (EROD/DQ in 29).