Ruckley Wood Farm, Shropshire (September 2020)

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Fluffy

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 4, 2020
Messages
72
Reaction score
200
Location
Gloucestershire
History;

I've not been able to find too much history about the farm in particular, although history about the surrounding Estate and the main house was much easier to find. There are a few mentions of the farm in the below;

1810 - Ruckley was sold to Moreton Aglionby Slaney, for whom the existing house was improved. A floodgate and weir were erected in Far Moor and New Moor, which was probably the origin of Ruckley Pool and Monks Pool. Other improvements on the estate may also have taken place as in 1813, financially embarrassed, Slaney sold Ruckley to a trustee of John Bishton.

1820 - Bishton rebuilt the house, planted up both its surrounds and the T-shaped arrangement of valleys to the west with yew, pine and birch, and enlarged Ruckley Pool. He may also have been responsible for the waterfall which links the Monk's Pool, at right-angles and to the west, with Ruckley Pool, and for a flight of rock-cut steps, mentioned in early descriptions of Ruckley but not visible in 1994, which gave access to the pools. Once again the expenditure was too lavish, and Bishton in turn was forced to sell to the Revd. Ralph Harvey Leeke.

1849 – Upon the death of Leeke, Ruckley was sold to the ironmaster George Jones.

1855 – Jones added Ruckley Wood Farm to the estate by purchase.

1904 - Two new lodges in a restrained Arts and Craft style, externally pebble dashed and with tiled roofs are added to the estate; to the east Ruckley Lodge, and to the north Timlet Lodge. Also of that date are various farm buildings on the estate including Sandwood and Ruckley Wood Farm. A third lodge, west of Bonemill Bridge, is of 19th-century date.

Explore;

Not a huge amount to report really. The exterior of the house is by far and away the most beautiful thing about this place. Inside is gutted, although it does appear someone is keeping an eye on the place as upstairs has all new wooden ceiling joists and outside in the front ‘garden’ are multiple beehives.

Pictures;



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Couple of original interior features;

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And a lovely stable block in one of the outbuildings;

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​All the best.
 
Did you not go into the old worker's cottage? With the 60's pinups and the oak panels from the old hall?
 
Ooh, that's really interesting. Wow, it hasn't changed much, has it.

We didn't go in there, no, but it doesn't look like we missed much. It was incredibly overgrown and without getting stung and scratched to death, entry wouldn't have been easy.


Do you know what's going on with the place at the moment? Barely looks like it changed since you went.
 
Ooh, that's really interesting. Wow, it hasn't changed much, has it.

We didn't go in there, no, but it doesn't look like we missed much. It was incredibly overgrown and without getting stung and scratched to death, entry wouldn't have been easy.


Do you know what's going on with the place at the moment? Barely looks like it changed since you went.

I'm not sure, I think the hall behind owns it now (at a guess) and it's just been left to go to ruin...
 
I'm not sure, I think the hall behind owns it now (at a guess) and it's just been left to go to ruin...
My grandparents lived in this house for over 40 years. I remember growing up there it was stunning. My grandparents were housekeepers for the big house along the drive who own this property. Shame it has been left to rot
 
My grandparents lived in this house for over 40 years. I remember growing up there it was stunning. My grandparents were housekeepers for the big house along the drive who own this property. Shame it has been left to rot
Welcome!
That house really looks stunning. It's interesting that you grow up there.
 
History;

I've not been able to find too much history about the farm in particular, although history about the surrounding Estate and the main house was much easier to find. There are a few mentions of the farm in the below;

1810 - Ruckley was sold to Moreton Aglionby Slaney, for whom the existing house was improved. A floodgate and weir were erected in Far Moor and New Moor, which was probably the origin of Ruckley Pool and Monks Pool. Other improvements on the estate may also have taken place as in 1813, financially embarrassed, Slaney sold Ruckley to a trustee of John Bishton.

1820 - Bishton rebuilt the house, planted up both its surrounds and the T-shaped arrangement of valleys to the west with yew, pine and birch, and enlarged Ruckley Pool. He may also have been responsible for the waterfall which links the Monk's Pool, at right-angles and to the west, with Ruckley Pool, and for a flight of rock-cut steps, mentioned in early descriptions of Ruckley but not visible in 1994, which gave access to the pools. Once again the expenditure was too lavish, and Bishton in turn was forced to sell to the Revd. Ralph Harvey Leeke.

1849 – Upon the death of Leeke, Ruckley was sold to the ironmaster George Jones.

1855 – Jones added Ruckley Wood Farm to the estate by purchase.

1904 - Two new lodges in a restrained Arts and Craft style, externally pebble dashed and with tiled roofs are added to the estate; to the east Ruckley Lodge, and to the north Timlet Lodge. Also of that date are various farm buildings on the estate including Sandwood and Ruckley Wood Farm. A third lodge, west of Bonemill Bridge, is of 19th-century date.

Explore;

Not a huge amount to report really. The exterior of the house is by far and away the most beautiful thing about this place. Inside is gutted, although it does appear someone is keeping an eye on the place as upstairs has all new wooden ceiling joists and outside in the front ‘garden’ are multiple beehives.

Pictures;



View attachment 262345

View attachment 262346

View attachment 262347

View attachment 262348

Couple of original interior features;

View attachment 262349

View attachment 262350

And a lovely stable block in one of the outbuildings;

View attachment 262351

All the best.
The adaptation of the original open-hearth chimney to take the flue from the Aga or Rayburn type cooker (had there been radiators in any of the rooms?) was commonplace. That the flue needed a crank in it was also common.

Having worked in stables where the horses were kept in stalls, and not loose boxes,
the photo of the stalls here caught my eye. The wooden slatting would have been there
to hold the hay that the horses could pull through the gaps to eat. Alternatives to hold the hay for the horses to pick at were of curved steel bars and bolted against the wall, often in a corner. Nowadays hay nets are used. Was there an upper floor to store the hay, and chutes to let the hay fall down to behind the slatting? Perhaps there was an upper floor for storing hay, oats, bran, etc in a dry place. The brick-built manger was an alternative to cast iron ones - and gives the building a very old feel to it. While the earliest date mentioned is 1810, perhaps it was built in the 1700s.
 

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