Aim of the Project

The overall aim of the Historic Farmsteads: Preliminary Characterisation project is to produce a web-based Preliminary Regional Character Statement for each of the eight government regions outside London in order to support the national policy statement  Living buildings in a living landscape: finding a future for traditional farm buildings.

Objectives of the project

The objectives of the Historic Farmsteads: Preliminary Characterisation project are to:

• Provide clear statements on the significance of the main characteristics and values of the historic farm building resource.
• Articulate clearly the core values and policies of English Heritage and the Countryside Agency policy on matters relating to these buildings.
• Provide clear statements identifying the driving forces and pressures affecting them.
• Raise the awareness of policy makers of the need for policy formulation which takes account of historic farm buildings within a regional and local context.

Preliminary regional character statements

A Preliminary Regional Character Statement has been produced for each of the 8 government regions.

The aim of the statements is to promote better and more accessible understanding of the character of farm buildings. The statements provide an information base for a broad diversity of users with an interest in researching, understanding and managing historic farmsteads. The statements have been written as a sourced synthesis of information, drawing together information that will enable the farmsteads of each region to be better understood within the national context of farmstead and agricultural development, and their surrounding fields and settlements. They are consultation documents and readers are invited to submit their comments.
Each statement is divided into 10 sections:

• Section 1 provides an introduction to the Statement along with its aims.
• Section 2 provides an introduction to characterisation and briefly describes the landscape character of the Region, examining the pattern of rural settlement across the Region.
• Section 3 describes the predominant building materials used for farm buildings nationally and in the Region.
• Section 4 provides a brief introduction to the agricultural history of England with particular reference to the development of farmsteads and farm buildings divided into the major periods, supported by statements relating to the survival and significance of farm buildings from each period. This is followed by a summary of the agricultural history of the Region.
• Section 5 provides a national and regional background of types of farmsteads and farm buildings.
• Sections 6, 7 and 8 provide a national and regional overview of key building types.
• Section 9 provides a Glossary of terms both familiar and unfamiliar to the reader (e.g. dairy, linhay, enclosure).
• Section 10 provides a list of national and regional sources for further reference.

East Midlands

• Historic Farmsteads: Preliminary Character Statement - East Midlands region part 1 (2991 Kb)
• Historic Farmsteads: Preliminary Character Statement - East Midlands region part 2 (3262 Kb)
• Historic Farmsteads: Preliminary Character Statement - East Midlands region part 3 (2831 Kb)

East of England

• Historic Farmsteads: Preliminary Character Statement - East of England region part 1 (3637 Kb)
• Historic Farmsteads: Preliminary Character Statement - East of England region part 2 (3459 Kb)
• Historic Farmsteads: Preliminary Character Statement - East of England region part 3 (2980 Kb)

North East

• Historic Farmsteads: Preliminary Character Statement - North East region part 1 (3126 Kb)
• Historic Farmsteads: Preliminary Character Statement - North East region part 2 (3392 Kb)
• Historic Farmsteads: Preliminary Character Statement - North East region part 3 (3270 Kb)

North West

• Historic Farmsteads: Preliminary Character Statement - North West region part 1 (3575 Kb)
• Historic Farmsteads: Preliminary Character Statement - North West region part 2 (3915 Kb)
• Historic Farmsteads: Preliminary Character Statement - North West region part 3 (4109 Kb)

South East

• Historic Farmsteads: Preliminary Character Statement - South East region part 1 (3446 Kb)
• Historic Farmsteads: Preliminary Character Statement - South East region part 2 (3441 Kb)
• Historic Farmsteads: Preliminary Character Statement - South East region part 3 (3092 Kb)

South West

• Historic Farmsteads: Preliminary Character Statement - South West region part 1 (3120 Kb)
• Historic Farmsteads: Preliminary Character Statement - South West region part 2 (3541 Kb)
• Historic Farmsteads: Preliminary Character Statement - South West region part 3 (2817 Kb)

West Midlands

• Historic Farmsteads: Preliminary Character Statement - West Midlands region part 1 (3455 Kb)
• Historic Farmsteads: Preliminary Character Statement - West Midlands region part 2 (4472 Kb)
• Historic Farmsteads: Preliminary Character Statement - West Midlands region part 3 (3797 Kb)

Yorkshire and Humber

• Historic Farmsteads: Preliminary Character Statement - Yorkshire and the Humber region part 1 (3429 Kb)
• Historic Farmsteads: Preliminary Character Statement - Yorkshire and the Humber region part 2 (3676 Kb)
• Historic Farmsteads: Preliminary Character Statement - Yorkshire and the Humber region part 3 (3621 Kb)