Today the AiM group had a tour of Northycote Farm house, Bushbury (Wolverhampton). As we have been digging within the Northycote Farm grounds for several months now, it was great to learn about another aspect of the site, which contributes to its overall history. The tour was fantastic, and provided a wealth of information about the history and archaeology of both Northycote Farm and the surrounding local area.
Site Information
Northycote Farm has a long history, and was built in approximately AD 1600. During the 17th Century it was occupied by the Underhill family, so called as they lived in Underhill settlement, which was located in the shadow of Bushbury Hill (east of the house). The house remained in the Underhill family for many years (with the Dutton family as tenants who managed the farm), until it was bought by George Whitgreave (the owner and builder of Moseley Court and Chapel) in 1815, when the house and its outbuildings became part of the Moseley Court Estate.
The house later passed through several tenants' hands, who lived in the house and were involved in agricultural and pastoral farming. During the First World War, the farm was used to keep and train cavalry horses, which had been brought over from North America. The house also had a role to play during the Second World War, where in 1942, Mrs. Lees, who owned the house at the time, was ordered to give the surrounding land and some use of the house to Mr. Buckless, by the Order of the County War Agricultural Committee.
It was during this time that the house and outbuildings started to fall into disrepair. It was bought by Wolverhampton Council in the 1970s and was restored during the 1980s, following a detailed archaeological survey of the standing structure of the house. This enabled the Council to reconstruct the house so that it resembles its former appearance.
Below are some of the pictures from our tour!
Details on the location of the Farm and House can be found below!
Write a comment
m j buckless (Tuesday, 21 July 2020 12:47)
you will find that your history is very wrong etc for a start the history of tunnels in the main yard the chapel white had bodies in it etc and my granfather joseph buckless owned the farm but seems no one seems to get the history right william joseph buckless james henry buckles my father and his younger bothe peter buckless and elizabeth buckless live and worked this farm my granfather sold the farm in the late 1980s mrs lees lived in part and joseph lived in the other part till mrs lees sold to my granfatheir and the farm was used in ww1 yes not to train horse but to stage them there and send to the front and they were horses to pull guns etc as the tunnels are near the barn they went to boscaval old hall etc the bones found in the tunnel where from dead cows the chapel was removed some time in 1930s and the bodies were of the chiforsds if you write the history please get it right as yes the family is alive and well we also owned hill farm fradswell farm moat farm etc william joseph buckless and james herny buckless are alive in there 90s we moved to australia all of use in the 1960s for a better warmer life
Archaeology in Mind (Thursday, 23 July 2020 14:09)
Thank you so much for this information which is very interesting. The information on our Website was gained from the Black Country History Website Ref No: P/4326. Perhaps it would be a good idea if you contacted them with your family history so that it could be amended for you as it is obviously important to have the correct information.
Manu thanks again and best wishes
AiM
MR I W NICHOLLS (Saturday, 25 July 2020 13:01)
Hi M J Buckless, it's really interesting reading your comments, some of which I have heard of from people that knew your grandfather Joseph Buckless.
I have been working at the farm for 24 years now and would love to hear some of the original true stories and aspects of Northycote farm or the black and white farm as its known locally. If you would like to email me I can pass on a name that your grandfather and possibly your father would know. ian_pickles_67@yahoo.com
Thanks again
Ian Nicholls, countryside ranger.
Jayne French (Saturday, 05 September 2020 16:14)
What are some of the more quirky facts about Northycote farm I heard that a policeman drown as he rode his bike in the water situated at the front side of the farm
Archaeology in Mind (Thursday, 10 September 2020 13:45)
Hi Jayne
If you would like to know more about Northycote Farm please contact Ian Nicholls who is the Countryside Ranger there and knows more about local facts of the farm.
Becky Peebles (Friday, 15 January 2021 18:40)
As a child and an adult I recall there being a very large hole similar to a well but alot bigger on the grounds, which I now can't find. I found it as recent as 8 years ago but its gone now.
Does anyone know what it was?
Archaeology in Mind (Friday, 15 January 2021 18:52)
Hi Becky
That is very interesting. Can you remember where this was exactly or even approximately please?