Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

A loose courtyard plan farmstead with buildings to three sides of the yard.

Monument Types

• FARMSTEAD (Post Medieval to Modern - 1800 AD to 2050 AD)

Full description

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Type: Loose courtyard with working agricultural buildings on three sides and with additional detached elements to the main plan
Farmhouse: Farmhouse detached in central position
Position: Isolated position
Survivial: Altered - significant loss of original form (more than 50%)
(1-2)

This feature is recorded in the English Heritage Historic Area Assessment for St Mary Hoo Parish. The report states: "Isolated farmsteads were established on the low-lying marshland, such as Egypt Marshes Farm, Lowlands Farm and Swigshole Farm, along with shepherds or 'lookers' cottages...By the 1840s one individual William Fuller owned St Mary's Hall, Lowland Farm, Moat Farm, Hoppers Farm and Ross Farm. This estate was subsequently acquired by Ecclesiastical Commissioners (latterly the Church Commissioners). The farms were often managed by bailiffs and it was as a tenant that Henry Pye arrived at St Mary's Hall in 1851. He subsequently went on to lease Swigshole Farm, Ross Farm, Hoppers Farm and Fenn Street Farm (in St Mary Hoo parish) as well as Turkey Hall Farm and New Barn Farm (in Stoke Parish)…
At the western edge of the parish is Swigshole Farm, situated within an area known as The Mean. Because of this remained an ill-defined area, until the 20th century the farmstead was often considered to be part of High Halstow parish. Although it has lost most of its outbuildings, a substantial brick farmhouse remains, probably dating from the early 19th century. This is now the only remaining marshland farm in the parish" (3)

<1> Forum Heritage Services, 2012, Kent Farmsteads & Landscape Project (Unpublished document). SKE18075.

<2> English Heritage, 2009, Historic Farmsteads: A Manual for Mapping (Unpublished document). SKE18076.

<3> historic england, 2014, Hoo Peninsula Outline Historic Area Assessment: St Mary Hoo Parish. Research Report 2014-52 (Bibliographic reference). SKE31593.

Sources and further reading