Historic Barn Restoration in the Surrey Hills Receives Commendation at Surrey Historical Buildings Trust Awards
A recent restoration project at Emley Farm, near Bowlhead Green in the Surrey Hills National Landscape, has been awarded as highly commended at the Surrey Historical Buildings Trust Awards. The National Trust, in collaboration with local partners, successfully applied to the Surrey Hills Historic Buildings Restoration Grant (HBRG), a fund dedicated to preserving buildings under the ‘Place’ theme of the Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) programme.
Emley Farm, a stunning site with a rich history, is home to several Grade II listed buildings, including a 16th/17th-century farmhouse, a late 17th-century threshing barn, a late 18th-century granary, and more. These buildings, which have remained largely unaltered since the introduction of modern farming techniques, represent a rare example of traditional large farmsteads within the Surrey Hills.
The funding was used to restore the external envelope of these ‘at risk’ barns, preventing water damage, safeguarding original materials, and ensuring the structural stability of the buildings. Views of the restoration works can be enjoyed from the public footpaths which pass through the farmyard in this beautiful setting, allowing visitors to safely enjoy the site.
Stephanie Fudge, General Manager at the National Trust Surrey Hills expressed the farm’s historic value and ecological importance.
“On a moonlit evening Emley appears like Brigadoon, a place beyond time and reality. The farm complex is an important refuge for rare wildlife such as resident Barn Owls and roosting bats. The barns form part of an ecosystem which includes two veteran 500-year-old Sessile oaks adjacent to the barns. The owls use both the barns and the trees to watch and to hunt prey in the rough grassland paddocks which surround the buildings… The work will provide a visual backdrop to how we share the story of Emley with visitors and explore the history of the landscape here as well as changing farming practices that have changed the focus of many farms across Surrey. Emley survives as an historic time capsule, and this work will allow people to experience this on various levels rather than just through surveys and old photos… The restoration will ensure that these important rare vernacular relics will not be lost, and they will continue to play their part in the rich social historical tapestry of the Surrey rural landscape.”
The meticulous restoration efforts, overseen by National Trust Building Surveyors and supported by the Blackdown & Hindhead Supporters Group, uncovered extensive rot within many of the old timbers. However, the team found an innovative solution: oak wood from Emley Farm itself, felled during the Great Storm of 1987. This local material was used to restore the barns, making them stronger than ever.
With the restoration now complete, plans for the next phase of the project are underway, ensuring that Emley Farm remains a treasured site for both its historical significance and its role in preserving local wildlife.
Sarah Thiele, Programme Manager at the Surrey Hills National Landscape said.
“This project exemplifies the successful blending of heritage preservation with wildlife conservation, ensuring that Emley Farm barns continue to serve as a sanctuary for Barn Owls, roosting bats, and the surrounding natural ecosystem. This restoration not only preserves the physical structures but also enriches the cultural and environmental story of the Surrey Hills, ensuring future generations will be able to experience and understand the layers of agricultural history that this landscape holds.”
