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Summary

Ruins of the former Brownberry farmstead shown on 19th century maps which was still inhabited in 1893. Brownberry was mentioned in the 16th century. The 19th century Tithe Map Apportionment lists it as 'Ruins of old house'

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Brownberry medieval settlement, consisting of five ruined buildings and a sunken entrance lane

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX67SW64
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 443431
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX67SW/43
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX67SW64

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FARMSTEAD (Early Medieval to Early 20th Century - 1066 AD (Between) to 1901 AD (Between))

Full description

Duchy of Cornwall, 1818, Map of Freehold and Early Enclosures of Dartmoor (Cartographic). SDV237263.

Devon County Council, 1838-1848, Tithe Mosaic, approximately 1838-1848 (Cartographic). SDV349431.

'Brown Berry' shown on 19th century Tithe Map as a long rectangular builing at the southern end of a track with a small square building to the west. The Apportionment for 'Brown Berry Estate' lists Field Number 965a as 'Ruins of old house and Road'.

Burnard, R., 1890, Dartmoor Pictorial Records (Article in Serial). SDV346960.

Gover, J. E. B. + Mawer, A. + Stenton, F. M., 1931, The Place-Names of Devon: Part One, 198 (Monograph). SDV1312.

Brownberry was first mentioned as 'Brembery' in 1563 and 'Bromebury' in 1586.

Royal Air Force, 1961, 58/4424, F43.179 (Aerial Photograph). SDV280247.

Photograph taken on 12th May 1961.

Linehan, C. D., 1965, Deserted Sites on Dartmoor, Devon, 173 (Article in Serial). SDV217992.

Brownberry deserted buildings. Five buildings with sunken entrance lane on the main road - one of the ancient tenements; a later Brownberry is also in ruins opposite Dunnabridge Pound.

Linehan, C. D., 1966, Deserted Sites and Rabbit-Warrens on Dartmoor, Devon, Table 2 (Article in Serial). SDV307246.

Listed as a deserted site with enclosures.

Haynes, R. G., 1966-1969, Ruined Sites on Dartmoor, 9 (Un-published). SDV150434.

Site viited on 5th November 1966. Stone cross passage house still partly in use as a barn. Granite thresholds, posts and lintels still visible on both doors. Several outhouses and a large farmyard approached by a sunken lane from the Ashburton road. Other details: Plan.

Fox, A., 1969, Swincombe Survey, 21 (Report - Survey). SDV250998.

A ruined farm which was inhabited in 1893 - buildings grouped around a yard. There are four other buildings of more sophisticated construction than the house and these are probably 19th century.
Brembery is mentioned in 1563. It is an early type mortared stone cross passage house with granite thresholds, posts and lintels. No fireplace or windows are visible. The gable ends have been removed to take a corrugated iron roof in its later adaptation to a barn. There is a shippon at SX64857419.
The `ruins of old house' listed in the 1839 Tithe Map Apportionment as part of Brownberry is the original site of `Brown Berry'. The ruin with massive walls and two impressive, opposing doorways which once opened on the central passage of what was a longhouse. There is no sign of a fireplace and the addition of stones to the top of the walls to support a corrugated-iron roof also tends to disguise the buildings original dimensions. The west doorway has a keystone between two listed stones.

National Monuments Record, 1979, SF1509, 199 (Aerial Photograph). SDV346618.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1980, SX67SW64 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV346940.

(15/02/1980) The five buildings noted by Linehan and planned by Haynes form a post-medieval complex grouped about a central yard which is entered from the north by way of a sunken road. The buildings are of rubble with earth mortar supplemented by packing pieces in the joints. All posts, lintels etc., are wedge and not drill split suggesting a pre-19th century date. The house (see illustration plan) is of two storeys but completely gutted, and the cross passage is of only traditional significance. Byres and barns are roofless and between 1.0m. and 2.0m. high. At SX 64867419 a ruined barn or shippen and a couple of stone walled pens are probably associated but of later date since the construction incorporates drill split stones.
It seems probable that the Medieval farmstead was centred at SX 64697447, a little to the north of the later complex. It is represented by a line of four levelled platforms cut to a depth of 0.4m. into a slight south slope, and varying in area from 6.0m. by 5.0m. to 10.0m. by 5.0m. Slight traces of walling exist along the west sides, the east ones being truncated or overlaid by a retaining wall for the sunken road which is 1.3m. below the level of the platforms. It is not possible to identify a longhouse in the group but a slightly sunken track extends for a short distance to the west from what may have been a principal building.
Surveyed at 1:2500 on MSD and at 1:10 000.

Hemery, E., 1983, High Dartmoor (Monograph). SDV249702.

A farm court and foundations of outbuildings lie on the west side of the ruin where two tracks meet and a leat channel leads in from Dunna Brook.

Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, 1985, Aerial Photograph Project (Dartmoor) - Dartmoor Pre-NMP (Cartographic). SDV319854.

Several buildings and yards together with a field system are visible and have been recorded.

Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England, 1987-1993, Duchy Farms Project Survey Visit, M. J. Fletcher (Report - Survey). SDV350839.

(12/06/1988) The 'ruins of old house' listed in the 1839 tithes apportionment as part of Brownberry is the original site of 'Brown Berry'. The ruin with massive walls and two impressive, opposing doorways which once opened on the central passage of what was a longhouse. There is no sign of a fireplace and the addition of stones to the top of the walls to support a corrugated-iron roof also tends to disguise the buildings original dimensions. The west doorway has a keystone between two listed stones.
A farm court and foundations of outbuildings lie on the west side of the ruin where two tracks meet and a leat channel leads in from Dunna Brook (Hemery, 1983).
The four scooped platforms noted and surveyed by Quinnell at SX 64697447 are extant although they have all suffered damage as a result of agricultural activity and desultory stone robbing. Two short lengths of turf-covered stony banks, 0.3m high, which delimit part of two of the scoops are the only identifiable structural features. These small stances may represent the footings of a linear medieval settlement.
Brownberry farmhouse at SX 64697442 measures 10.1m by 5.5m internally and has 0.9m thick coursed stone walling with mortar and small stone infill. The corners of the walls which are from 2.0m to 2.5m in height are constructed of dressed granite slabs; a rather crude large buttress supports the east wall. There is no evidence of window lights or a fireplace and no trace in the form of joist holes of a second storey floor. The two opposing entrances are flanked by granite door posts with granite lintel tie entrances occur off-centre in the long walls. The west doorway partially collapsed. Parts, if not most of the structure may have been rebuilt, especially the south wall which supported a lean-to building.
It is not unreasonable to suggest that this rather enigmatic building is partial or complete rebuild perhaps on the site of a ?C16th longhouse.
The farmhouse is shown on an early C19th Duchy map (map of Freeholds and Early Enclosures on Dartmoor 1805-18) and is depicted as a ruin and described "Brownberry, ruins of old house" on the 1839 Tithe Map and Apportionment. The 1889 OS 6" shows a roofed building whilst the 1951 OS 1/2500 depicts a roofless ruin.
The farm outbuildings are in ruins and are covered with debris, the walls stand to an average height of 1.0m. The domestic leat is evident as a 2.0m wide 0.4m deep dry sinuous channel, visible from its origin at Dunna Brook (SX 64477452) to the farm court at SX 64677443.

Fletcher, M. J., 1988, Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England (Report - Survey). SDV214888.

Site visited 12th June 1988. The farm outbuildings are in ruins and are covered with debris, the walls stand to an average height of 1 metres. The domestic leat is evident as a 2 metres wide 0.4 metres deep dry sinuous channel, visible from its origin at Dunna Brook at SX64477452 to the farm court at SX64677443.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 57 (Monograph). SDV219155.

Other details: Map 28, Site 9,10.

Gerrard, S., 2004, List of Sites Remaining to be Considered for Designation on Dartmoor (Un-published). SDV345444.

Brownberry Medieval settlement was considered for designation as a Scheduled Ancient Monument in 2004.

English Heritage, 2005-2008, Prehistoric Survey Information (Cartographic). SDV345521.

Southern part of settlement outlined.

National Monuments Record, 2011, 443431 (National Monuments Record Database). SDV346941.

Remains of Brownberry farmstead.

Ordnance Survey, 2011, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV346129.

Elements of the settlement shown on modern mapping.

White, P., 2013, Previously Unsurveyed Dartmoor Historic Farmsteads, Brownberry (Un-published). SDV352501.

Brownberry deserted Medieval farmstead.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8632 - Sherberton Farm, Duchy Farms Survey
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project
• EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project

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