MDE20868 - Rowley Barton (Monument)

Rowley Barton was Rodeleia in Domesday. It was held by Drogo of the Bishop of Coutances. Before the conquest it was held by Alward. Early descents given. [1] The Tithe Map shows two farmsteads at this location; Higher Rowley (north) and Middle Rowley (south). Middle Rowley apparently mostly survives within the buildings situated around the small farmyard at c. SS 6522 4393. A small probable field barn associated with the farmstead is situated to its south, at SS 6520 4386. Higher Rowley was arranged on either side of the main road running north to south, around the area at c. SS 6522 4402. The farmhouse and presumably an attached barn or stables was situated at SS 6521 4402, with three buildings to is east at SS 6523 4406, SS 6524 4401 and SS 6525 4399. [2,3] By the time of the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map, the buildings at Higher Rowley had been demolished. At Middle Rowley, the long building to the north of the original farmyard had also been incorporated into another, larger farmyard to its northwest, arranged around SS 6521 4395. The southwestern part of the range at SS 6523 4392 had been expanded to the south to form the farmhouse (it may have already been used for this purpose) and the field barn at SS 6520 4386 had been demolished. The farmstead was now named Rowley Barton. This format was still in place when the 2nd Edition map was surveyed. Since this date, the southern range of building within the newer farmyard have been extended northwards and now mostly fill this space, and more recent buildings have also been built to the north of the farmstead, encroaching on the site of Higher Rowley Farm but not entirely covering it. [3-5] The site was visited in April 1997. The surveyor noted that the house (or a 19th Century block of it) faces south; he suggested the range backing against it to the north marked an earlier house site. The completely cobbled yard it forms part of includes the principal range opposite, with the house running north into the east range built of rubble stone and roofed in slate. The larger yard to the north is also constructed of rubble and slate, with the principal range being formed by a large barn to the east and the yard infilled with 20th Century covers. [6]