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Summary

The placename Grabbishaw is first recorded in the early 14th century. A settlement of this name is depicted on historic maps of the mid to late 19th century to the west of Hiscott, in Horwood, Lovacott and Newton Tracey parish. The farmstead appears to be occupied on aerial photographs of the 1940s but is ruinous on aerial photographs of 2015. Hollows, ditches and banks associated with the farmstead are visible on images derived from lidar data.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• DESERTED SETTLEMENT (XI to XIV - 1066 AD? (Between) to 1330 AD (Between))

Full description

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

The farmstead of Grabbishaw is depicted and listed on the apportionments as Grabbishan.

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

The farmstead of Grabbishaw is depicted and annotated. Two ranges of buildings are shown within a yard through which a track passes. A garden plot is adjacent to the south-east.

Gover, J. E. B. + Mawer, A. + Stenton, F. M., 1931, The Place-Names of Devon: Part One, P.114 (Monograph). SDV1312.

Grabbishaw is first recorded in 1330 and 1399.

Royal Air Force, 1946 - 1949, Royal Air Force Aerial Photographs (Aerial Photograph). SDV342938.

The farmstead remains visible with two ranges of roofed buildings.

GetMapping, 2010, GetMapping 2010 aerial photographs (Aerial Photograph). SDV351585.

The farmhouse buildings appear ruinous. The range to the east cannot be seen.

Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC, 2015 onwards, 2015 onward Aerial Photographs (single years) (Aerial Photograph). SDV365735.

The farm buildings cannot be seen under scrub vegetation.

Environment Agency, 2021, University of Exeter Understanding Landscapes Project - Lidar visualisation (Cartographic). SDV366001.

Banks, curvilinear hollows and a rectilinear hollow are visible as earthworks.

Hegarty, C., 2025, Comment on Unlocking Landscapes project and related lidar and aerial photograph interpretations (Interpretation). SDV366411.

Field boundaries, tracks and two rectilinear building platforms are visible as earthwork banks and hollows on images derived from lidar data, within or adjacent to a rectilinear hollow representing the yard in which the former farmstead of Grabbishaw was located. As summarised by Horner, the farm buildings remained visible as intact structures on aerial photographs of the 1940s to 1999/2000, but subsequently became derelict. It appears is ruinous on aerial photographs of 2010 and the buildings cannot be identified on aerial photographs of 2017.

Horner, B., 2025, Lidar interpretation (Personal Comment). SDV366415.

Grabbishaw is first recorded in 1330 and 1399. It is depicted on the Tithe Map for Fermington and the first and second Editon OS maps. It was still functioning/roofed on 1946 aerial photographs. Roofed but possibly out of use by 1999/2000 photographs. Largely roofless by 2010. Appears abandoned on modern mapping. Connected by (green) lanes and PROW to East Kennacott to the west and Hiscott to the east.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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