Understanding these principles prior to considering any development proposal will help assess options and identify design parameters.
1. Use this guidance at the earliest stage
2. Understand inherited character to inform options for the future
3. Consider the landscape context
4. Treat the farmstead as a whole
5. Recognise the importance of historic routeways and spaces (yards and working areas) to the overall character of the farmstead
6. Respect the hierachy of building forms and take special care of smaller farm buildings
7. Respect the historic boundaries to yards, fields and tracks and encourage traditional boundary treatments
8. Align an understanding of the historic character with sensitivity to change
9. Seek to retain capacity for activity associated with management of the surrounding land
10. Seek to record all historic farm buildings prior to any changes
11. Apply principles of sustainable development in dispersed settlement landscapes
1. Use this guidance at the earliest stage
Preparing a site assessment at the earliest possible stage will help applicants and local authorities gain a clear understanding of the key character issues to consider at pre-application stage. This can inform the preparation of a design brief or masterplan. If planning permission or listed building consent is required, this will help avoid the need to overcome time-consuming and expensive obstacles at a later stage in the process.
2. Understand inherited character to inform options for future change
Farmsteads and the landscapes around them have changed over time, and the options for future change should not necessarily be constrained by a desire to adhere to a particular time period. However, a broad distinction can be made between traditional character, which is locally distinctive and reflects the strong relationship between farmsteads and their local landscapes into the late 19th and even 20th centuries, and the more universal and standardised character of later industrial-style sheds and other buildings. The traditional character is shown in the plan form and building hierarchy of the whole group, as well as the use of local materials such as stone, clay and timber.
A basic understanding of how the group has changed will suggest where there may be opportunities for retention of historic structures, the reinstatement of lost features or the redevelopment, redesign or remodelling of other parts of the site.
3. Consider the landscape context
The Weald has an abundant legacy of landscape features that have survived from many different time periods. It is important to maintain and work with these features and views from the surrounding landscape that have been shaped by centuries of land use and settlement. Some Weald farmsteads retain only a fragmentary survival of buildings that comprised the traditional farmstead group, whilst others may retain little of the landscape context that related to their eventual development into traditional groups at the beginning of the 20th century. Many Weald farmsteads, on the other hand, have a coherent and legible traditional character that survives within field boundaries, routeways and other landscape features inherited from the medieval period. These are rare and exceptionally important, because they tell a coherent story about human habitation in the Weald and how the land was utilised. Any change or development on these sites needs very careful consideration.
4. Treat the farmstead as a whole
It is not just individual buildings, however rare and significant, that make farmsteads important. Critical to conserving the inherited character of the High Weald AONB is the overall form of the whole group: their siting and relationship to patterns of landscape, settlement and access; and their form, scale and use of materials. Without consideration of the farmstead as a whole it is easy to overlook the essential contribution made by spaces, tracks and yards; how buildings face towards or away from each other, areas of access, movement and containment; and their boundaries.
5. Recognise the importance of historic routeways and spaces (yards and working areas) to the overall character of the farmstead
Farmsteads have developed in relation to public or private routeways, and around yards and other spaces. In the High Weald radiating pattern of early public routeways (droves or tracks) made into the forested Weald from the more permanent settlements on the Downs largely define its landscape character. Farmsteads grew up along these routeways and generated further tracks serving a variety of functions. In many farmsteads the main routeway predates the farm and is of considerable archaeological interest in its own right. People may have moved through this landscape for hundreds years before the farmstead became established. The location of farm buildings, yards and working spaces in relation to the main routeway or access tracks (from fields or woods) reflect the functional working of the farm - how livestock, materials and machinery moved in, out and around the farm. Retaining these relationships helps maintain the integrity of the whole farmstead.
Working areas and yards provide the overall space and setting of buildings and can be very sensitive to change. Yards tended to be enclosed areas providing containment for livestock whilst working spaces were open areas of movement and flow around and within the farmstead site which were used for stacking crops and moving vehicles or livestock. In the High Weald these open areas could be very extensive. They should be maintained wherever possible as open spaces linked to the main access points and routeways and kept free of high structures or barriers.
6. Respect the hierarchy of building forms and take special care of smaller farm buildings
Farmstead groups in the High Weald are typified by a mix of larger scale structure (usually the house, barn and oast) and small- scale cattle housing, stables, cart sheds and other structures. Barns tend to be the dominant building. Many smaller building have been lost as the needs of agriculture have changed or as a result of farmstead redevelopment. Those that remain are particularly vulnerable to loss through neglect. It is important to retain this hierarchy of scale and ensure that smaller buildings - both existing and new design - are considered as part of the masterplanning approach. The extension of larger scale buildings through e.g. additional structures or aisles has long been a feature of Wealden farmsteads and may, in some cases offer solutions that retain and enhance their traditional character.
7. Respect the historic boundaries to yards, fields and tracks and maintain traditional boundary treatments
The High Weald is significant in a European context for the extensive survival of a landscape pattern inherited from the medieval period. A network of features- banks and ditches; flower rich verges; laid and layered mixed native hedges - denote various boundaries such as holdings, parishes, hundreds, woodland compartments and routeways. Little is known about these features and inappropriate machinery use, road widening or invasive structures can easily damage them.
8. Align an understanding of the historic character with sensitivity to change
Options for use or reuse of farmstead buildings will depend on the policy of the relevant local authority. However in terms of conserving farmstead character the use of the buildings may be less critical than the ability of the scheme as a whole to secure retention and enhancement of the significant characteristics of the farmstead and its surrounding landscape.
9. Seek to retain capacity for activity associated with management of the surrounding land
Traditionally farmsteads were the hub for activity associated with management of the surrounding land. Accommodation was provided for farm workers; animals and machinery moved within and around the farm site; seasonal products such as fruit, hay and timber were processed and stored. This daily and seasonal movement was part of the farmstead's character.
10. Seek to record all historic farm buildings prior to any changes
Many historic farm buildings in the Weald have been converted without recording their historic features and much cultural understanding and information has been lost. The evidence gleaned from any remaining historic farm building is valuable. Guidance on rapid assessments and more in depth archaeological studies are available from English Heritage.