Torr Farm

Torr Farm

Farmstead comprised of a late 17th to late 19th century complex with 20th century alterations, located near Grindleford in Eyam Woodlands. The farm was vacant at the time of inspection in April 2002.

The buildings are constructed from coursed gritstone rubble with dressed stone detailing, including large quoins, kneelers and copings. Roofing is in stone slate and Welsh slate laid to diminishing courses, with some replacement 20th century corrugated sheeting on outbuildings.

The farmstead follows an evolved multi-phase courtyard plan. The main farmhouse is a two-storey structure of four bays with an 'M' roof of two parallel ranges, kneelers and gable copings. Three stone ridge stacks are positioned to the centre and both gables at far right. The original entrance, now blocked with a massive stone lintel and remaining jamb stones, is at far right. The present entrance is in bay three, a plain opening with a stone lintel. A blocked doorway exists in bay two. Two-light windows predominate throughout, with hollow chamfer mullions surviving to the ground floor in bays one and four. The two widely-spaced first floor windows in bays one and three lack mullions. The north elevation features square windows at ground and first levels to each end, with a narrow central first floor window. Upper floor windows have three-light metal frames of four lights each. Sills and lintels are rusticated with edge-tooling. The right return has a side entrance partially obscured by a 20th century lean-to porch.

The front right room retains an original fireplace with moulded stone jambs and spine beams to the ceiling.

An attached high screen wall stands to the left, built of well-coursed stone with dressed copings. The wall drops to lower and more irregular coursing along the front with flat coping and a blocked central gateway. The present gateway at far right has stone round-topped diagonally tooled gate piers.

An attached byre and stable range runs to the left in two phases, distinguished by large quoins between bays two and three, with irregular quoins to the left end. This is a low two-storey structure of four bays on a steep slope. Upper floor entry is accessed via three stone steps at far right, with a square window to its left. Three doorways with stone lintels are present, along with an inserted or enlarged window with small panes, projecting stone sill and concrete lintel to bay three. Square pitching openings under the eaves occupy bays two and three. The rear has quoins defining the two phases of construction. The left end displays two blocked doorways, the central one containing an inserted boarded opening, probably a mucking-out hole. Two inserted small-pane windows are positioned left and to the upper storey right. The right end has irregular quoins, a square mucking-out hole and two small square vents to the upper level. The left return window to the lower storey retains its stone sill and lintel. The interior features a king-post roof with timber stalls and loft.

A west barn and stable range is built across the ground slope, providing a two-bay barn with a two-storey byre and loft over on the right. A central full-height barn door has iron strap hinges. Double doors, now forming a garage, are to the left, with a byre door to the right now reduced to a window, a stable door at far right with a square window to its side and hay eye above, and narrow slit vents. The rear façade is obscured by a corrugated iron lean-to with slit vents. The left return has a tall narrow owl hole below the ridge with a stone surround, and a small pigeon hole with a stone perch below right. The right return has a square window with a large lintel, now blocked, and a centrally inserted mucking-out hole. The interior contains a stone dividing wall and a four-bay roof structure of king-posts with side struts and iron fastenings.

A south range of outbuildings comprises a rubble stone two-bay hen and pig house with attached lean-to or privy of dressed and coursed stone featuring quoins and stone slate roof, and a low flat-roofed pigsty with feeding slots to the left.

An eastern outbuildings range, a low two-bay rubble building with an attached lean-to to the left, shows two or more phases of building with quoins to the right. A timber lintel supports a wide central door, with a six-pane sash in a square window to the left. Doorways in the left and right surrounds have timber lintels. This building stands in the north-east corner of a small separately walled croft.

The original farmhouse and stable-byre range faced south to exploit the hill slope descending from the south-east yard entrance to the north-west gable of the byre range, allowing site drainage and manure movement from the rear of the byre range. Further development in the mid to late 19th century reflects intensified farming practices and a shift towards increased pastoral farming. The division of the farmhouse to form two cottages may relate to a change from freehold to tenant farming in the early to mid 19th century, while the addition of a second side entrance in the late 19th century may have provided sleeping quarters for farm labourers.