With so many buildings at risk in Derbyshire it was inevitable that more would be brought to our attention and this is something which we are encouraging everyone to do.
One of the latest editions to the list is the field barns of Derbyshire a group of a type of building that has historical importance to the area.
These buildings which are mainly built of stone are a characteristic feature of the uplands of Derbyshire and once a vital part of the farming process though many are now falling into disrepair and are being pillaged having their roofs stripped and walls dismantled. In the 1980s the Derbyshire Historic Buildings Trust worked in conjunction with the Chatsworth Estate and the County Planning Department on a pilot scheme to look at the reuse of three of these barns and they were successfully converted into simple overnight accommodation. Unfortunately, due to the lack of available finance it was not possible to convert any further barns though the scheme did highlight a possible new use for some of the buildings.
In more recent times fifteen barns have been rescued in the Bonsall area of Derbyshire by the Bonsall Field Barn Project using funding from Derbyshire County Council and DEFRA, but yet again money problems have caused this project to stall and there is the ever increasing threat that many of these barns will be lost forever.
Because of the number of barns throughout Derbyshire and also in other regions of the UK it poses the question "should these buildings be the subject of a separate HLF grant application"? We feel that the answer is "yes" and work is now being undertaken to investigate the best course of action.