The Emley Farm barns restoration project won a special Highly Commended award at the Surrey Historic Buildings Trust ceremony on 9th April. In the auspicious surroundings of the Wotton House library, there was a great sense of expectation among the supporters of the nine short-listed projects, and delight in the Emley team as the winners were announced in the overall conservation renovation category.
Match funding from The Black Down & Hindhead Supporters at a critical time proved vital in enabling the National Trust to secure a very substantial grant from Defra’s ‘Farming in Protected Landscapes’ programme.
A partnership of local experts worked collaboratively with the National Trust building surveyors on the sensitive renovation of three of the farm’s historic barns, including using timber from the nearby oaks which had fallen in the 1987 storm. Several of the team were at the ceremony to receive the award.
Walking into the Emley Farm complex, there is a magical atmosphere of the past, where the 17th Century threshing barn and 18th Century granary have stood almost unaltered while modern farming practices were changing the face of most farms elsewhere. The grant allowed the National Trust to protect the structural integrity of these timber-framed buildings, replacing several of the rotted timbers and protecting the barns from further weather damage so they can stand for hundreds more years. Now they are safe, the future uses of these buildings will be the subject of discussion between the National Trust and the Black Down and Hindhead Supporters.
Not only are the Emley Farm buildings of huge historic significance, but they also stand as part of a rich and precious ecosystem that includes majestic veteran oaks and meadows, perfect shelter and hunting habitat for species like barn owls and bats.
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