New House Farm, Boulsworth Hill, Thursden, Burnley

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iBase ID

329407

Reference identifier

EBU-U12-L301-5-1

Title

New House Farm, Boulsworth Hill, Thursden, Burnley

Place

Burnley

Personal names

Robert Parker, Jane Parker, Robert Parker, Henry Parker

General notes

This is a photograph of the only remaining part of 'The New House', built in the early 17th century on the lower slopes of Boulsworth Hill.

Attached to the physical copy of this photograph are two (unidentified) articles about the house:

"They built a house
At Burnley, - "H. K." (Blackburn) asks: "Can you throw any light on the origin of the gateway which stands on the lower slopes of Boulsworth Hill, near Thursden? Print enclosed."
It is the only remaining part of an old house, surprisingly called "The New House", built in the early 17th century by a Robert Parker, who, says Mr Walter Bennett, Burnley historian, probably originated at Extwistle.
On the lintel stone is a reference to Robert Parker and his wife, and a date in the early 1600's. It was used as a farmhouse until the early 19th century when, along with other farms in the district, it was vacated for better areas.
There it remained empty until Nelson Corporation developed Coldwell Reservoir some 25 years ago. Much of the house stone - a fine-quality limestone - was used for the roadmaking in the approach to the reservoir, and the part that still stands was the main doorway to the farmhouse."

"TABLETS. - "C. H. G." (Colne) writes: "In reply to the inquiry regarding New House Farm, Boulsworth Hill, according to my investigations the following inscriptions have been found on the two tablets over the door. The large one immediately over the door bears the following statement:
ROBERT PARKER
AND JANE HIS
WIFE ROBERT &
HENRY THEIR S
ONNES BUILT THIS
HOUS MAY 2 1672
On the smaller tablet immediately above, it states:
O THOU OF MIGHTY MOST
BLESSE THEM THAT MADE
THIS COST R.P. 1672
The type of architecture of New House Farm is somewhat similar to that of many of the houses built in the Pendle Forest district, in the years 1580 - 1680. At front and back, upstairs and downstairs, are rows of mullion windows; over the lower windows are dripstones, so common a feature in this quality of house. The porch does not project, but is an adaptation of the space between the living-room on the left and the day-room on the right. It is practically 12ft long, 6ft wide, and was originally about 7ft high. The door admitting to the porch is of solid oak.
The living-room is 20ft x 21ft, and when in occupation was crossed by heavy, rough-dressed oak beams of great girth. There is no floor to either of the bedrooms; there is no under-drawing, and the high roof is held up by heavy longitudinal and transverse beams, rough-tooled with plain or adze. The old fireplace was along ago pulled down, and in its place was put an ugly appliance of the Victorian era; swallows have nested in the chinks in the upper part of the chimney-stack. This chimney-stack, or luvver, is wide, massive, and well constructed, and is of solid and enduring in construction as the rest of the domicile.
This is an extraction from the description by Joe Bates."
We are greatly obliged to our correspondent."

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Medium

Photographic print

Colour

Monochrome

Year of image

1955

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Subjects

Place Names > Briercliffe

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