SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

I spotted this metal object during a walk on April 20 2018. It is in the ground at what remains of the old farm by where the Bardsey Corn Mill stood. The object looks like it could have been part of a machine and in view of its location possibly a farm machine. I wonder if someone can tell what the object was or was part of? I don't know if the piece sticking out of the ground in front is part of the object or a separate item. The first photo is of the object and the second shows what remains of the farm (the object is just out of view in that photo). Any help will be appreciated.

Do you have any more photographs viewed from different angles?

warringtonrhino wrote:Do you have any more photographs viewed from different angles?

Hi WR . Unfortunately that was the only photo I took of the object, which was in an somewhat awkward position to take a photo. I could have climbed over or through the simple fence to get a better position but I decided not to do that.

Is it near Bardsey Mill, which is now a house. or the remains of Scarcroft Corn Mill next to the Bardsey Beck?

Do you have any idea what type of farm this was?
This is just a guess but maybe it was the base of a sheep shedding gate.

warringtonrhino wrote:Is it near Bardsey Mill, which is now a house. or the remains of Scarcroft Corn Mill next to the Bardsey Beck?

Hi WR .

My apologies here. I referred to the site as "what remains of the old farm by where the Bardsey Corn Mill stood" but I've found that is wrongly named as it was Scarcroft Corn Mill (also known as Scarcroft Mill and Scarcroft Water Mill). As it is on part of a walk that I occasionally do that includes Bardsey I forget to call it by its correct name (well that's my excuse ).

My understanding is that the building remains photo that I posted is what is left of the farm (apart from a large very close but getting ever ruined barn but perhaps that was the farmhouse) and I am struggling to find information on the farm. In some related information I've found it stated "The Mill and related buildings are now in a state of ruin, situated on land owned by the Bramham Park Estate. They were built in 1810 and remained in active use until the early 1970s". The object may or may not therefore be farm related, though I still think it will likely be.

blackprince wrote:Do you have any idea what type of farm this was?
This is just a guess but maybe it was the base of a sheep shedding gate.

Hi blackprince .

As I note in my earlier post on April 26 2018 I am struggling to find information about the farm. I do however know that I have seen mentions of a farm immediately by the Scarcroft Corn Mill site. Thank you for your interest and the suggestion about the object. Please accept my apologies if the object is not at the remains of the farm.

I really must improve the filing of information that I have on my computer! There follows some information which I saved in July 2017 from the Scarcroft parish website and have now just found filed away:-

The Mill and related buildings is now in a state of ruin that is located between Pompocali and Moat Hall and is situated on land owned by the Bramham Park Estate. It was built in 1810 and remained in active use until the early 1970s. An interesting advertisement exists, seeking a tenant, "Wanted, a thoroughly practical FARM LABOURER. Rent free, with good wages. Apply, Mrs. Revis, Scarcroft Mill, near Leeds. The Leeds Mercury, Saturday, November 20, 1875.”...In the mid to late 1970s the building were abandoned and around 1979 or so, the buildings were sold in aid of stone. The mill was demolished in 1982 due to its dangerous condition...The site is now...over grown ruin wet and slightly bogey under foot...The mill buildings no longer exist but remains of the adjacent farm buildings still stand.

That information had an undated (but clearly recent) photo showing what then remained of the farm but its immediate ground was very overgrown so it is hard to say if it was the remains of the same building that I think was the farm and which is shown in the photo I posted on April 23 2018, but what can be seen does look as if it could be the same building.

The item looks to be a bearing box that would be fitted to the bed stone of a pair of millstones / grinding stones.
It would have had the vertical millstone spindle (drive shaft) going through the bed-stone, and driving the runner stone above.
The wooden parts should be beech wood and they act as the bearing faces. These wooden pieces would either be tapered or in a tapered part of the casting so that a bolt would push on the bottom of the pieces to tighten them up to the millstone spindle.
Tallowed or greasy rag would be packed in the spaces between the wooden pieces for lubrication.

the photos are not attaching?