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Summary

Walled enclosure containing St. Mary's School and the adjacent convent to the south of the 'South Gate' at Buckfastleigh was recorded as an orchard in the 19th century

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ORCHARD (Post Medieval to XIX - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• WALLED GARDEN (Constructed, XIX - 1801 AD to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

South West Heritage Trust, 1838-1848, Digitised Tithe Maps and Transcribed Apportionments (Cartographic). SDV359954.

Field Number 1227 on the 19th century Tithe Map is listed in the Apportionment as 'Orchard' belonging to 'Abbeylands'.

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

Square field with an internal division shown on 19th century map.

Brown, S., July 2013, St. Mary's Primary School, Buckfast, Devon. Archaeological Watching Brief 2012-2013, 1-2, Figures 1-2 (Report - Watching Brief). SDV358143.

On an estate map of 1815 the enclosed area was recorded as 'Chaffe's Orchard'. The 19th century Tithe Map records it as an 'Orchard' which was part of the 'Abbeylands' estate. This was centred on the mansion built by Samuel Berry in 1806 on the site of the Medieval abbey. The field to the west and north was known as 'Shippon' or 'Shippen Park' probably from 1540 when the same name appears in a rental of the 'Manor' of 'Buckfast- Dennys'. From at least 1690 until the early 19th century 'Shippen Park' was leased with a building known as 'Slaughterhouse'. In 1738 'Shippen', 'Slaughterhouse' and 'Chaffe's Garden' were leased and then sold in 1801. By 1827 the slaughterhouse had been separated off and there was a dwelling house on the rest of the site.

Gent, T. + Manning, P., Nov 2011, Archaeological Assessment of St. Mary's School and St. Mary's Convent, Buckfast, Devon, 5 (Report - Assessment). SDV351589.

The walled enclosure containing St. Mary's School and the adjacent convent appears to represent a walled garden, the outline and dividing wall of which are depiected on the 1887 Ordnance Survey map. The divided enclosure is also shown on on a sketch map believed to date to circa 1870 and as such to predate the arrival of the Benedictine monks and the rebuilding of the abbey in 1882. The sketch map marks the eastern part of the enclosure as 'Lewis' garden. Goes with farm' and the western part as 'Abbey kitchen garden' with a gated and/or stepped 'way to abbey kitchen garden' along the northern boundary wall. The plot appears to be a parcel of land formerly called The Strowle, referred to in a lease of 1803 as having been converted to an orchard many years ago. The plot is shown as an orchard on the 1839-1843 Tithe Map and Apportionment (plot 1227).

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6185 - Archaeological Assessment of St. Mary's School and St. Mary's Convent, Buckfast (Ref: Project No. 1029)
• EDV6726 - Archaeological Watching Brief at St. Mary's Primary School, Buckfast

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