Manor Farm Clipstone

Manor Farmhouse June 2013

Clipstone Manor Farm was listed by English Heritage in September 1980 as Grade II, of special interest. Most of it dates from the 17th century and is timber-framed with red brick nogging, that is, infilling between the timbers. It comprises two storeys beneath an old clay tiled roof. The higher section next to the road dates from the 18th century, has stucco walls and a tiled roof and stands on a red brick plinth. The gabled porch is 19th century.

The Rating and Valuation Act 1925 specified that every building and piece of land in the country was to be assessed to determine its rateable value. The valuer visiting Manor Farm found that it was owned and occupied by John Batchelar and the farm was then, confusingly, called Clipstone Farm. The land comprised 164 acres in Eggington and 3.6 acres in Heath and Reach. The valuer commented: “Nice House Good Homestead”.

The nice house comprised two reception rooms, a kitchen, a washhouse and a dairy with four bedrooms and a box room above. Outside stood two brick and slate coal barns and a store place. The homestead was divided into three areas as follows:

• North Yard: a brick, weather-boarded and tiled nag stable for three; a brick, weather-boarded and corrugated iron stable for nine with a chaff place; a brick and weather-boarded cow house for three and a barn with seven pigsties in it; a brick and slate open fronted cow house for eighteen with a fodder store and a loft over all; a weather-boarded and corrugated iron lean-to seven bay open cart shed at the rear and a weather-boarded and corrugated iron building at the centre “divided down middle to form 2 – 7 bay open cattle sheds”;
• By the House: two brick, weather-boarded and corrugated iron feeding hovels and a store;
• South Yard: a brick and corrugated iron seven bay open cart shed; a trap house and two calf boxes and a brick, weather-boarded, corrugated iron and slated barn with a calf box in it.