Wallsend, Shiremoor Farm

HER Number:
5101

District:
N Tyneside

Site Name:
Wallsend, Shiremoor Farm

Place:
Wallsend

Map Sheet:
NZ36NW

Class:
Agriculture and Subsistence

Site Type: Broad:
Farm

Site Type: Specific:
Farmstead

General Period:
Early Modern

Specific Period:
C19

Form of Evidence:
Extant Building

Description:
Shiremoor Farm - now converted to public house. Farmhouse faces away from farm buildings. L-plan, 2 storeys, stone, slate roof. Offices in small separate block to rear. Building A - single storey, rubble stone with ashlar dressings and asbestos roof. Presumably originally a cart shed, but the four arches were bricked up and the south door partly blocked in stone. It then became a cow byre, and must have been entered by the later door at the west end. Building B - 2 storey, random ashlar, slate roof, stone water tables. West elevation is main front with central door between 2 windows, and 3 windows over, all with strange ashlar dressings standing proud of wall face. All this suggests perhaps an earlier farmhouse, but in the north gable are 2 doors more indicative of a barn. Had the building two uses? If so which was first? Building C - 2 storey, stone with slate roof. The upper floor has 3 slatted windows above the arched openings. Building D - 2 storey. Two ground floor doors and one window. Only one window upstairs on the yard side. The farm buildings looked all of one period, with some later alterations; farmhouse might be later. Have they abandoned arable farming for milk production at some stage? If so, the gin gan (with nice curved stone piers and conical roof) has survived very well. What is the relationship of this farm with the enclosure of Shire Moor? Architectural details suggest that this is probably by John Green for the Duke of Northumberland. The similarities of quoin details and access arrangement is much in alignment with Whorlton Grange Farm - a model dairy farm of the 1850s. If this farm is contemporary with the enclosure of Shire Moor, this would give this argument some chronological backing. It is surprising, however, that a gin gan rather than a steam engine was used as a power source at that time. Sensitively converted to a public house and restaurent many of the original features of the farm survive. The serving area of the bar is within the old wheel house. The mid 19th century buildings include a typical arrangement of ranges and fold yards and bear a number of similarities in style to Whorlton Grange (HER 1933) suggesting the work of John Green.

Easting:
3260

Northing:
6977

Grid Reference:
NZ32606977

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
<< HER 5101 >> I. Ayris & B. Harbottle, 1987, Shiremoor Farm, Site visit notes I. Ayris & S.M. Linsley, 1994, A Guide to the Industrial Archaeology of Tyne and Wear, p 63