NHER 35946 (Building record) - 19th century walled garden, possible owl house and cistern at Home Farm

February 2001.
Former walled garden for Hall (site NHER 7726) which contained a fountain and a row of cottages, now demolished (except for outbuildings) and replaced by 20th century farm buildings.
Two walls of garden remain, 4m, Flemish bond with horizontal skintlings, external buttresses, stone slabs on top - clearly contemporary with 1834 block of hall.
At southwest corner on top is a circular structure of the same brick, about 2m high, supported on external thickening of wall and internally on sandstone corbel. Of two storeys, two 0.3m (1 feet) square openings with iron lintels on 'internal' face but only lower (now blocked) opening to 'exterior'. Lower chamber roofed but upper roof missing. This is believed to be an owl house; there is said to have once been another.
On east side of garden a massive flint cistern with internal brick vaulting (not seen) that is said to be the main reservoir for the cistern at site NHER 13764.
A mound to the southwest of the walled area resembling a round barrow is said to be the kitchen midden from the garden, planted over with trees in the 1960s; this seems to be correct.
Photographs of owl house (S1)-(S2) in file.
E. Rose (NLA), 10 February 2001.

August 2001.
Detailed research has failed to find any other examples of owl houses in Britain. This may therefore be unique.
E. Rose (NLA), 21 August 2001.

November 2002.
In woodland west of garden at TG 1237 1571, top of small brick dome broken through, filled with water, visible at ground level. Is this another part of the water system? Landowner says there are water points for pheasants throughout the estate.
E. Rose (NLA), 25 November 2002.

Publication of Morton Owl House in (S3).
A similar structure to the owl house has now been reported at Abney Hall, Cheshire.
See (S4) and (S5).
E. Rose (NLA), 25 June 2003.

(S6) in file.
E. Rose (NLA), 6 December 2006.