This farm is one of the largest farms in Rishton. It is found in the north
west of Rishton at the base of the northwest ridge.
The farmhouse was built in 1875 of the local stone. There was a cellar
under the house were butter was made but this was filled in. The farmyard is
set out in a square with buildings round the outside. The picture above shows
this layout.
The buildings serve the same purposes as when they were built, but extra
buildings have been added; a barn and shippon north of the house, and also a
dairy where the milk is cooled and bottled.
Figure 2 - To show the layout of Cut Farm.
The farm used to be 100 acres in size, but has been cut down because of
residential building projects along the main road. The fields vary in size
from 30 acres to 15 acres and the boundaries have mostly been decided by the
residential property, the canal that cuts through the land, the reservoir for
the canal, and a small wood on the main road. On other sides other farms
bound the farm.
Twilight at Cut Farm in December 2001.
Hedges and ditches bound all the fields. The two fields on the North side
of the canal are at the lowest slope of the ridge, the rest of the fields
slope gently northwest, whilst those on the south side of the canal dip more
steeply. Next to the canal however they become very level and drainage is
bad. The fields drain towards the canal. From the reservoir to the canal is a
stream that lets off water from the reservoir. This stream runs through two
of the fields to the canal.
Near the canal drainage is poor. The father of the present farmer has done
a lot to improve drainage. Trenches and pipes have been laid down about 1915.
In front of the house is a natural spring that is used for all purposes. This
water has been piped into the house, so that the farmer has his own water
supply.
 |
| Cutt Farm Date stone taken in July 2004.
|
The soil varies on the farm. There is some peat and bog oak in the field
behind the house, known as the moss. During the war when the farmer had to
plough his land, root crops grew well there. On the slopes across from the
canal, the soil is made of clay. Sandy soil is found elsewhere but all the
soil is acidic and frequent liming is necessary.
 |
| Cutt Farm house in July 2004 |
The climate is not suitable for arable farming. There is often fog and a
cold mist by the canal in winter. There is little shelter for crops although
a little shelter is obtained from the northwest winds by the hill.
The grass is permanent for both grazing and hay. The farmer has a herd of
30 Hereford cows, which are fed on hay, provender, and cattle cake. They are
housed in the shippons during winter. The farmer does most of the buying and
selling at Hellifield.
Sheep are also kept and graze in the fields across the canal. They are
usually only wintered and sold the following spring.
The farm is a family concern with the farmer’s wife helping the farmer.
There is one permanent farm labourer, and extra help is required with the
haymaking. The framers main markets are Hellifield and Gisburn for stock and
foodstuffs are bought from Clitheroe and Blackburn.
The milk is tuberculin tested, some is sent to the milk marketing board,
the rest is bottled on the farm and bought by a dairyman who has a milk round
in Rishton.
The farmer has a few hens, mostly battery hens. Some of the eggs are sold
locally and some are sent to packing stations. No cooperatives are active in
this area. Machinery is adequate with the farmer owning a tractor and
harvesting equipment.
References
A North East Lancashire Cotton Town by Marian Sleigh.