Ford Green Hall
Encyclopedia
Ford Green Hall is a Grade II* listed farmhouse and historic house museum, originally built in 1624, located in Smallthorne
, area in the city of Stoke-on-Trent
in Staffordshire
, England
.
The house stands on land adjacent to the B5051 minor road in the east of Smallthorne. It is the only timber-framed
yeoman
farmer's house still surviving in Stoke-on-Trent. Originally, it stood in 36 acres (145,687 m²) of farmland, but this has been gradually encroached upon over the years so that now it is surrounded by comparatively small grounds. Beyond its grounds there is now housing and a nature reserve
.
In its grounds, there also stands an 18th century dovecote
which shares the listed building status of the main farmhouse.
Both the hall and the dovecote have been restored to as close to their original condition as possible, and the hall itself functions as a museum, managed by Stoke-on-Trent City Council. The rooms feature 17th century furnishings, textiles and ceramics, and there is a period garden.
Various events are held at the hall, many focused around children and historical events that the Hall has lived through in its early life.
Smallthorne
Smallthorne is an area in the city of Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire, England. It is in the north-east of the city, near Burslem...
, area in the city of Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent , also called The Potteries is a city in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of . Together with the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme Stoke forms The Potteries Urban Area...
in Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
The house stands on land adjacent to the B5051 minor road in the east of Smallthorne. It is the only timber-framed
Timber framing
Timber framing , or half-timbering, also called in North America "post-and-beam" construction, is the method of creating structures using heavy squared off and carefully fitted and joined timbers with joints secured by large wooden pegs . It is commonplace in large barns...
yeoman
Yeoman
Yeoman refers chiefly to a free man owning his own farm, especially from the Elizabethan era to the 17th century. Work requiring a great deal of effort or labor, such as would be done by a yeoman farmer, came to be described as "yeoman's work"...
farmer's house still surviving in Stoke-on-Trent. Originally, it stood in 36 acres (145,687 m²) of farmland, but this has been gradually encroached upon over the years so that now it is surrounded by comparatively small grounds. Beyond its grounds there is now housing and a nature reserve
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
.
In its grounds, there also stands an 18th century dovecote
Dovecote
A dovecote or dovecot is a structure intended to house pigeons or doves. Dovecotes may be square or circular free-standing structures or built into the end of a house or barn. They generally contain pigeonholes for the birds to nest. Pigeons and doves were an important food source historically in...
which shares the listed building status of the main farmhouse.
Both the hall and the dovecote have been restored to as close to their original condition as possible, and the hall itself functions as a museum, managed by Stoke-on-Trent City Council. The rooms feature 17th century furnishings, textiles and ceramics, and there is a period garden.
Various events are held at the hall, many focused around children and historical events that the Hall has lived through in its early life.
External links
- Ford Green Hall - official site