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Rudchester Farmhouse

July 2023

The earliest map from 1841 shows a much wider and longer house attached to the Farm Cottage and the Forge. This is consistent until 1951 but in the 1963 map, the Farmhouse has its current footprint, with a gap between it and the Forge. The 1984 Conveyance of Houghton Moor, was witnessed by J. E. Hen (?) of Rudchester Cottage (possibly Farmhouse), Heddon-on-the-Wall, Production Manager.

1841

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1841 tithe map
The Farmhouse "House", is clearly wider than the current house and is attached to the buildings on both sides.

1860

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1860 OS 1st edition
There have been some changes in other buildings, but the Farmhouse appears unchanged.

1897

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1897 OS 2nd edition
The Farmhouse outline is unchanged but it is shown internally divided for the first time.

1919

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1919 OS map
There are minor changes visible from the 1897 map, although the Farmhouse with its internal division is unchanged.

1951

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1951 OS map
This appears to be a lower resolution redrawing of the 1919 OS map, without the divisions between buildings. It is included here as the last map showing the original Farmhouse outline.

1953

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1953 Wayleave Plan 1
This shows an intermediate side of the Farmhouse - about half its original size, but still wider than the Cottage. This could be an inaccurate drawing, but it is plausible because of the division shown on the 1897 and 1919 maps, and the course of the water pipe, which would make no sense if there weren't a gap between the Farnhouse and Garage. The course of the pipe through the farm building adjacent to the Bothy is also interesting and is consistent with the aerial photograph from the 1960s, showing an open arch.

1963

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1963 OS map
This is the first map to show the current Farmouse outline. It is clear that it is now narrower than Farm Cottage and narrower, with a gap to the garage.

Rudchester Farmhouse after 1951

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Farmhouse after 1951
This aerial photograph, which must be after 1951 as it has its current footprint, you can see the farmhouse with a small neat garden at the front.

Rudchester Farmhouse from the air

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Early 20th Century
This is probably a later photograph with more. less neat vegetation in front of the Farmhouse and Farm Cottage.

The Farmhouse

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15 May 2020
This is the current view from the front, for comparison. It doesn't seem to have changed much on the outside over the years.

By that time, the Farmhouse had been unoccupied for a couple of years without heating and had a water leak, flooding the ground floor. Inside, it was badly in need of repairs...

Kitchen

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Kitchen
Most of the kitchen had to be removed becuase of water damage but the old oil range remained on the left side of this photograph.

Sitting room

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Sitting room
The sitting room had damp from the chimney and you can see the door on the right of the picture which led to the room in Farm Cottage where the previous occupant kept their coal..

Bathroom

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Bathroom
The bath had been removed and replaced by an accessible shower for the previous occupants.

We bought the Farmhouse with the other farm bulildings from Northumberland County Council on 28 September 2012. In 2014, we removed all the plaster and ceilings, re-wired, fitted an air-source heat pump system, renewed the floors and completely refitted the house.

Kitchen

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Kitchen
The kitchen-dining room retains the original layout, closing off the door to the living room to give more space for storage and installing an air-source heat pump in the cupboard on the right of the photograph.

Sitting room

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Sitting Room
The sitting room also retains its layout, but with the doors to the kitchen and Farm Cottage removed, which gives much more wall space.

Bathroom

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Bathrooms

We re-installed a bath with shower over, and added a separate shower instead of the storage cupboard on the landing.