Apartment plans drawn up for Grade II-listed Ferham House

Eighteenth century Ferham House would be converted into ten “one care units,” under plans submitted to the council.

The grade II-listed building, on Kimberworth Road, was built in 1779 by the Walker family, whose ironworks at Masbrough employed 500 people.

It was commissioned by Jonathan Walker and designed and constructed by stone mason and architect John Platt.

The name Ferham itself comes from ferrous and means the home of iron.

Now applicants Exemplar Health Care hope to make alterations inside the house for the care units, which are usually used by people with learning difficulties and dementia.

Like with sheltered accommodation, the idea is to form a home environment but have ancillary care if required.

An Exemplar spokesman said: “It is considered that this type of care home promotes the independence of its residents outside of a traditional care home environment.

“The communal value of the building relates to its use as a residential domestic property for which is was originally constructed. 

“The residential building would have been used for entertainment and the enjoyment of the surrounding grounds and distant views across the valley to Rotherham by the wealthy Walker family.”

The building was used as a maternity hospital in later years.