Pockerley Buildings, Beamish

A farm complex centred on a fine late Georgian twin fold yard system with rather fine stone arches, typical in style of work done for the Beamish Estate c.1820/1830. The north wall of the barn has the distinctive drive shaft hole from a gin-gan, of which no trace remains, and associated thresher. The basic plan is a long barn with two projecting wings forming a single courtyard. The main barn is attached to two dwelling houses. The earliest buildings are the westernmost of the two houses and the eastern end of the main barn. In the early-mid nineteenth century the barn was extended westwards and then by the addition of the wings to form a south-facing courtyard and by the addition of a gin-gan to the north elevation of the barn. The extension of the barn must have been linked with the introduction of threshing machinery and the associated horse wheel within the gin-gan. The modernisation brought with it a more elaborate architectural style. The second house - to the east, was probably added later, probably as the main farm dwelling. Later 20th century alterations included the creation of a large double entrance in the north elevation of the barn.