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Summary

Barn at Great Cator is thought to date to the late 19th century. Assessed and recorded in 2019, it is unusual in that it utilises a water turbine to power the threshing machine.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• THRESHING BARN (Built, XIX - 1875 AD (Between) to 1885 AD (Between))

Full description

South West Heritage Trust, 1838-1848, Digitised Tithe Maps and Transcribed Apportionments, Plot 1492 (Cartographic). SDV359954.

Building is depicted on the 1840s Tithe Map in plot 1492. Long, roughly rectangular building building aligned south-west by north-east.

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

Building depicted on the late 19th century historic map at north-east end of Cator Court.

Ordnance Survey, 1904 - 1906, Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV325644.

Unchanged on the early 20th century historic map.

Thorp, J., 2019, Barn 9, Barn immediately northeast of Great Cator, Widecombe, 1-12, figs and plates (Report - Assessment). SDV365153.

SX 68357 77063 Barn recorded at Great Cator during 2019 assessment. It is a large and well-built building built of local moorstone granite with probably quarried granite ashlar dressings.
The barn and cattlesheds are thought to have been built shortly before 1885 and they survive reasonably intact. These are not vernacular buildings and were built for a large farm, presumably occupied by a gentleman of means. Thorp suggests they were designed by someone cognizant of the latest trends in high Victorian agricultural practices and building techniques indicating a modernising and innovative frame of mind in the design and construction of an interesting combination farm building. The roofs of the cattlesheds, for instance, achieve their wide spans using cast-iron tie-rods.
There is also the use of a water turbine to power the threshing machine, and, presumably, other agricultural machines. Martin Watts, expert on mills and associated mechanisation, wrote: ‘While waterwheels were installed on Devon farms from the early 19th century onwards to drive fixed barn machinery, including threshing machines, and horse gears were also relatively common, the use of a water turbine I think rather unusual and the survival of the machine even more so. I hope that it can be retained in situ’ (citing correspondence, 2019, Watts, M.). See report for full detail.

Ordnance Survey, 2022, Mastermap 2022 (Cartographic). SDV364674.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8854 - Historic building recording of barn at Great Cator (Ref: K913/9)
• EDV1246 - Widecombe parish Survey

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