CROASDALE HOUSE FARM
SLAIDBURN, CLITHEROE
GEOLOGY
At the south end of the farm, limestone begins.....
FLORA
On the moorland there is acid grassland, upland heath, active blanket bog, degraded blanket bog and wet flushes; these support heather, bracken, hard rush, soft rush, molinia, bilberry and sphagnum moss.
In the traditional hay meadows the wild flowers include burnett, knapweed, yellow rattle and scabious.
FAUNA
The area is keepered, so foxes are not too much of a problem. Otters have been seen and an artificial otter halt (their den) has been built. There are badgers, hares and rabbits as well.
60 different species of nesting birds have been noted by Malcolm, and the species have increased since 1990 when Malcolm and Marty began farming at Croasdale House. Barn Owls have been seen and have successfully reared chicks each year, since coming for the first time in 2008
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© Copyright 2008
ARCHAEOLOGY
An old sheep fold where they used to wash sheep on the moor has been restored by United Utilities through the Countryside Stewardship scheme.
A Roman road goes through the farm to Wray and there is a lime kiln on the farm.
HEDGEROWS & DRY STONE WALLS
The boundaries are a mix of dry stone walls (sandstone) and hedgerows; over 1 mile of hedgerow has been planted during the last seven years.
VERNACULAR BUILDINGS
Sadly the most notable old building, The House of Croasdale, that was built in the mid 17th century and was on the site of a former medieval hunting lodge, was taken down by United Utilities in early 2000's for safety reasons. There are two field barns still used in the farm, one of which still has old fashioned cattle stalls.
The Cumbria Fells and Dales Leader + programme is based at Voluntary Action Cumbria and is part-financed by the European Agriculture Guidance and Guarantee Fund of the European Union and the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs. This project is part of a trans-national project with Gévaudan Leader + Programme, Lozère, France.
© Copyright 2008 Cumbria Hill Farms