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Summary

Buctor farm, comprising a farmhouse with 16th century origins and a range of 19th century farm buildings.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FARMSTEAD (XVI to XIX - 1501 AD to 1900 AD)

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

'Buctor' shown as a range of buildings around a diamond shaped yard, with a farmhouse and outbuilding to the east. Map object based on this source.

Child, P., 1996, Bucktor Farm, Gulworthy (Ground Photograph). SDV365625.

Child, P., 2009, Bucktor Farm, Tavistock (Personal Comment). SDV348200.

The 19th century farmyard is remarkable for the survival of its interior dividing walls. Many farmyards were probably once divided up this way but such walling has been swept away to facilitate machinery access etc.

Unknown, 2011-2014, The National Archives (Website). SDV347727.

The Bedford Estate sale catalogue held at the Plymouth and West Devon Record Office, reference number 87, lists Buctor among a number of farms belonging to the estate.

Ordnance Survey, 2013, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV350786.

Map object based on this source.

Buck, C., 2015, Buctor Farm, Tavistock (Report - Assessment). SDV359746.

This study was commissioned by the landowner on behalf of Natural England as part of a Higher Level Environmental Stewardship Agreement Scheme and produced by Cornwall Archaeological Unit, Cornwall Council.
Background
The 1867 Bedford Estates map (Fig 9, T1258M E14B), confusingly labels Little Buctor (although it had not been labelled in the previous 1842 and 1848 maps), and Great Buctor is not shown for the first time. However, the new farm courtyard buildings at Buctor (labelled Crebor on the 1867 Bedford Estates Map), are shown for the first time. This suggests that the removal of Great Buctor Farm may be contemporary with the construction of these new farm buildings at Crebor (named Buctor after the 1883s), the masonry perhaps reused between 1848 (Fig 7), and 1867 (Fig 9). This may have occurred in the early 1860s (D Hutchins pers comm), perhaps a Bedford Estates strategic move to focus on centralising agricultural unitary farmsteads. The south west side of the yard was formed next to the new access track to Wheal Crebor Mine – the track created no doubt within the early years of the 1800s.
Survey
The buildings appear to be of single contemporary construction (granite and stone walls with slate roofs, although a detailed survey is necessary to confirm this. The buildings include two barns with stabling below, two milking parlours (with post WW2 milking equipment), horse stabling, a horse cart linhay with three openings, a large barn with a threshing machine and in situ horse-whim building. The yard is partially cobbled and also contains a large cattle byre building (used in the winter).
However, this site is privately owned by the landholder and is not part of the Higher Level Stewardship project.
Recommendation
Given the quality of these agricultural buildings and their associated group value with the nearby farmhouse, it is recommended that they are Listed as a monument of national interest. It is hoped that any scheme for conservation would be appropriate

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV5606 - Inspection of Bucktor Farmyard
• EDV7058 - Archaeological Management Plan, Buctor Farm, Tavistock (Ref: 2015R055)

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