G.Farris Restoration

This year I was invited to restore a G.Farris Shepherds hut made at the Coombe Bissett works Nr. Sailsbury. It had been bought from new by an estate near Fordingbridge by the present family in 1910. This had been used for shepherding and in later life as a granary to store seed and cow cake (hence the perfusion of rat holes in the woodwork). As a treasured heirloom it was a privilege to be asked to turn it back to ‘as new condition’ again. Having looked around for someone to restore their hut , I received the following correspondence.

As you can see from the before and after photographs I embarked on quite a challenge. The roof timbers had to be replaced in their entirety, I made a new set of cutters to match some of the moldings on the boards, the timber came from a wood near Blandford I had cut it and placed it to one side about three years ago . Once planned up it matched the original boards perfectly.

I noticed the front axle was not the original and it had obviously been repaired in the past, so I made a new front axle to the Farris pattern and also replaced the rear axle at the same time. I used the old ironwork and in addition forged some new axle retaining pins as some were missing and had been replaced with iron thatching hooks.

On investigation I learned that during it’s time on granary duties the door had been left open whilst it was pushed up against a farm building, this had subsequently allowed the rain to fall on the door sill,this had in turn rotted out the rear cross member. So the end of the shepherds hut was removed, new chassis members let in, both door uprights made and re-tennoned into position on the new rear cross member. A new stable door was made (as per original) and I had some well seasoned matching timber with which to replace the floor. I was fortunate to locate a beautiful cast iron stove, which when black leaded really does compliment the hut.

When I removed what was left of the floor I made a note of the position of fragments of rusty tin. so was able to determine the exact size and position of the original hearth, and re- installed the new one accordingly.

I was instructed to sympathetically install an arrangement of seating with a facility to use as a bed, in addition to a small fold down desk .

The Shepherds hut now takes pride of place in the old orchard on the estate.
It was a delight to work on , and I am most grateful to the owners for instructing me to carry out the work. I would like to think its original maker George Farris who took on the Farris works with his brother in 1879 would be pleased to see one of his huts good for another 100 years.

My great grand father Thomas Butterfield was a wagon builder in 1860 and would have been working during the same period, I like to think that I am carrying on in the same tradition.