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Summary

Remains of listed barn (originally a longhouse) at Lower Kingsett fram. In 2009 the building appeared as ruins with no roof. At time of listing in the late 1980s, it was in use as a barn. Dates to the early 16th century, with later additions right and left and front lean- to possibly used as service room in 17th century, probably abandoned as farmhouse in the later 17th century, with subsequent alterations. Granite rubble with granite dressings, in the 1980s it had slate and asbestos slate roofs.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1171553: BARN ABOUT 30M SOUTH WEST OF LOWER KINGSETT FARMHOUSE

Other References/Statuses

• National Buildings Record: 29991
• National Monuments Record: SX58SW38
• National Monuments Record: SX58SW93
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 440752
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 510045
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX58SW/76/2
• Old Listed Building Ref (II): 93962

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CROSS PASSAGE HOUSE (XV to XVI - 1500 AD (Between) to 1550 AD (Between))
• LONGHOUSE (XV to XIX - 1500 AD (Between) to 1900 AD (Between))
• BARN (Built, XVII to Late 20th Century - 1650 AD (Between) to 1998 AD (Between))

Full description

Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, 1976, Monuments Threatened or Destroyed 1963-1974, 12 (Report - Interim). SDV80402.

SX 512804 Kingsett Farm, Mary Tavy is a stone house circa 1600 and late 17th century.

Hemery, E., 1983, High Dartmoor, 61, 993-4; plate 62 (Monograph). SDV249702.

Longhouse appears to date to the 14th or 15th century. Porch has single stone arch and bench. A granite staircase, a trendle in the dairy, a trapdoor in the ceiling to facilitate hoisting and lowering the pig into the trendle, an immense iron hook in an oak beam, a granite fireplace (later blocked by a Victorian grate) in a bedroom, and a granite feeding trough in the shippon area are some of the fascinating features of the house, which was last occupied about a century ago.

Hemery, E., 1983, High Dartmoor, 993-4 pl.62 (Monograph). SDV249702.

Dartmoor National Park Authority, 1985, Listing photographs for barn at Lower Kingsett, Mary Tavy (Photograph). SDV226939.

The 1985 images of this building show the barn still had a roof and appeared to be structurally sound, although there are a number of roof slates missing and several visible gaps.

Department of Environment, 1987, Mary Tavy, 45 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV226121.

Lower Kingsett Farmhouse, now a barn, lies 30m SW of the 19th replacement farmhouse which now takes its name. Originally a longhouse, perhaps of C14th-C15th date (according to Auth 3), but certainly early C16th (Auth 2), the original place appears to be a cross-passage with the hall to the left and shippon to the right. It was probably abandoned as a farmhouse in the C17th. Grade II.

Google, 2014, Google Streetview (Website). SDV355684.

Current view (2009) of the building from the road shows it to have fallen into ruins, all of the roof is gone and a number of mature trees are growing within the remains of the walls.

Ordnance Survey, 2014, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV355681.

Location of this building depicted as ruins on the modern mapping.

English Heritage, 2014, National Heritage List for England, 1171553 (National Heritage List for England). SDV355683.

MARY TAVY SX 58 SW 1/73 Barn about 30m south west of Lower - Kingsett Farmhouse--II
Farmhouse, now barn. Early C16, with later additions right and left and front lean- to possibly used as service room in C17, probably abandoned as farmhouse later C17, with subsequent alterations. Granite rubble with granite dressings, slate and asbestos slate roofs.
Original plan appears to be a cross passage, no evidence of rear door, hall to left with stack backing on to passage and shippon end to right, with room heated by stack possibly at former gable end, with newel stair to front beside fireplace.
Porch to front of passage probably original to building; the farmhouse has been extended to right and left in C19 and C20 to increase use for animal shelter, although the addition to front to service end of late C17 was probably before the farmhouse was abandoned; there has been considerable rebuilding but the core of an early farmhouse of high quality remains. 2 storeys, single-storey porch with pitched roof has broad 3-centred arched opening in granite with narrower 4-centred arched inner doorway, stone benches to sides, porch bay broken forward slightly from main range with 4-pane light at first floor; to left, upper end has ground floor opening and 2 upper openings (now used as cattle shed) further end bay to left, roofless, with ground and first floor former window openings. To right of porch, single storey lean-to attached with door and corrugated iron roof, probably of late C17, with further lean-to at end extending pitch of main roof. Right return rebuilt in C20 concrete block; left return formerly had hipped roof over end bay with external granite stair to upper loading door in gable end. Rear has lower end to left with chamfered granite ventilator opening, upper loading door and door with timber lintel, former opening with timber lintel to left and single light inserted; roof level higher over original hall, with stepped external stack, no chimney; door with timber lintel to right, large granite lintel over former door opening and later inserted upper opening under eaves. Wall stepped back to right with rows of pigeonholes and single light with granite lintel at ground floor, wall rebuilt at upper end. Interior passage has wall to left in granite ashlar, 4-centred arched hollow- chamfered granite doorway to hall with corbel to right, hall fireplace has flat- headed hollow chamfered granite lintel. Room to right of passage has 2 heavy chamfered cross beams, and fireplace with wide chamfered lintel, oven to rear right, doorway to left of fireplace giving access to later addition to lower end and granite newel stair to right; wall between room and passage probably inserted, further front doorway between lean-to and service room indicating probably C17 additional service room use. Late C17 farmhouse at Higher Kingsett (also abandoned), C19 farmhouse at Lower Kingsett and C20 house not included in list.
Listing NGR: SX5126480393

Historic England, 2016, National Heritage List for England, Accessed 17/10/2016 (National Heritage List for England). SDV359353.

Previously recorded grid reference for this building was located on the wrong building. Historic England have updated the grid reference for this building to SX5125480373 (17/10/2016).

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8748 - Survey of building at Lower Kingsett

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