new member - hello

[domster]

Hello all,
thanks for letting me join the group. We moved to Rising Bridge just over a year ago and I found this web site whilst doing some historical research.

We're in the process of rebuilding Hilltop Farm, Back Lane in Rising Bridge and I'm trying to find out when it was originally built so the year can be recorded on the date stone. The farm is shown on a map from around 1850 but I'm struggling to find anything further back.

If anyone can advise where to look or has any history of the farm then we'd be very keen to hear from you.

Thanks,
Dom

[cashman]

Welcome to the forum dom.

[taddy]

Hello and welcome, Accrington reference library would probably have the info you are looking for, or maybe Bob Dobson one of our Accy Webbers can help.

[Bob Dobson]

Hill Top Farm does not feature in 'Old Homesteads of Accrington & District' by Ainsworth, though some other Bash farms do. The library has a list of the locations of farms, collated by Retlaw. I don't think it gives any historical infomatio0n. It may be possible to find the approx. date of the farmhouse being built from a search of each census from 1841.The deeds should give a clue as to the owner of the land before the house was built. The style of the architecture may give clues as to when it was built. I suspect there may be a datestone bearing the initials of the first owner
Reading the pages on the surrounding farms in Ainsworth's book may give clues on the date of the building.
Names of the occupiers will likely be found in the many trade directories held in the library, as in most cases,. the names of farmers are shown en bloc.
There is no substitute for spending time in the library. Best to phone first and ask when John Simpson is working

[domster]

Thanks all for the welcome and advice, it is much appreciated. I'll try to visit the library this weekend and see if anything can be found, i'll start with the books/files mentioned.

Unfortunately the original house has been demolished so there's no chance of finding an original date stone now. It had also been rendered so if there was some sort of date stone then i think it was covered anyway.

It's quite addictive doing historical research, the only problem is that our builder wants to know what needs carving into the new date stone in the next week, so time is against us!

Regards,
Dom.

[davemac]

ow do, and welcome

[hilleluk]

Welcome, happy posting

[Tasos]

Welcome to the forums!