Nether Heselden

SD 87 SE HALTON GILL LITTON ROAD (south side, off)

9/80 Nether Heselden (formerly listed as 20.2.58 Heselden)

• II

Farmhouse. Dated 1703 and 1748, with mid-C19 refenestration and reroofing. Coursed gritstone rubble, graduated grey slate roof, stone slates to rear. 2 storeys, 3 x 1½ bays. Quoins. C20 doors and window frames throughout. The main entrance between bays 2 and 3 has plain jambs, entablature and moulded cornice; the service door, bay 1, has a sawn stone surround and there is a large 4-light flat-faced mullion window to left. The remaining windows are all large, those to the ground floor being almost full height, and have sawn stone surrounds. Shaped kneelers and gable copings; end stack and one to ridge between bays 1 and 2. A reset date plaque above the main entrance has the letters " F " above the date "1748" in a moulded T A surround, the "F" flanked by stylised leaf and berry motifs. Rear: a narrow stair window with single transom to left of centre; one 2-light recessed chamfered mullion window, another window with reused C17 surround, the remainder flat-faced mullion windows. Right return: chamfered quoined jambs to doorway, right of centre, the lintel having 2 inscribed plaques, one dated "1703" above the letters, "A B". The masonry of the gable end indicates the refronting of the house and the earlier roof pitch. Interior: main entrance into a narrow hallway with inserted partition left and a solid wall, right. Stairs at end of hall of 2 straight flights have double baluster of C17 form and a moulded handrail. The left bay contains one original kitchen and dairy with slate shelves. Large slate flags have been used to floor the house, and a C19 staircase has post and slate partition. The house was probably built by a member of the Foster family, probably the father of Thomas Foster of Nether Heselden (1743-1770) who was buried at Arncliffe Church. On the site was a farm belonging to Fountains Abbey before the Dissolution. T.D, Whitaker, History of Craven, 1805, 1878, republished 1973, p.573.

Listing NGR: SD8870874614