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Summary

Fox Tor farmstead shown on 19th century maps which became ruined in the late 19th century. Hemery (1983) states the first lease of the farm was September 1809; Crossing (1965) believes the enclosure and house built around 1812. The farm was abandoned in late 1860s.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Fox Tor Farm; deserted early 19th century farmstead north of Swincombe Head

Other References/Statuses

• Dartmoor Non-designated Heritage Asset (Evidential): NI Site
• National Monuments Record: SX67SW119
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 911855
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX67SW/255
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX67SW/97

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FARMSTEAD (First mentioned, XVIII to XIX - 1800 AD (Between) to 1869 AD (Between))
• FIELD SYSTEM (XIX - 1801 AD (Between) to 1899 AD (Between))

Full description

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

The 19th century Tithe Map Apportionment for 'Foxtor' lists Field Number 1248 as 'House, Court and Garden'.

Crossing, W., 1912 (1965), Crossing's Guide to Dartmoor, 93 (Monograph). SDV320981.

Crossing noted that workmen of a Mr Windeatt who in 1812 were building a farmhouse nearly destroyed the nearby Childers Tomb (SX 67 SW 31).

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, 2366 (Aerial Photograph). SDV169268.

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

Fox Tor Farm. This farm was built and enclosed about 1812 by a Mr Windeatt (citing Crossing) but has been long abandoned and ruined. The structure is well built of mortared granite, originally possessed a second floor and was probably thatched. Most of the dressed stone has been removed now, although a stairway is still visible. Other details: Number 39 (includes plan).

National Monuments Record, 1969, NMR SX6272/1, 156 (Aerial Photograph). SDV214892.

Fox, A., 1969, Swincombe Survey, 14-15 (Report - Survey). SDV250998.

Fox Tor Farm and newtake was created about 1812 and by 1880 was a ruin (citing Crossing). A house, several outbuildings, stockpens, enclosures and three large fields are visible.

Hemery, E., 1983, High Dartmoor, 355-360 (Monograph). SDV249702.

The Duchy land-lease for Fox Tor Farm is dated 25th September 1809 and specifies the bounds of the 582 acres on lease.
Mortar was used in the masonry work of both farm and outhouses but there are signs of a much earlier enclosure in an ancient wall running north from the river and terminating at one of the later farm walls. In 1702 Andrew Knight held a newtake at Swancombe (Swincombe) Head and this old wall may be part of his enclosure. Spading was carried out but not in the largest of the 10 enclosures called 'Coarse Piece' which pre-dated the farm. A small inner enclosure at the end of the north-west close is marked as 'Potato Plot'. The farmhouse, outbuildings and field patterns, including a plot now effaced by streamworkings are depicted on the 1839 tithe map.

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

SX 6285 7055 Three buildings are visible, one subdivided, within a field system. This field system is bounded on the east by a ditch at SX 6295 7065 and on the north by a bank at SX 6266 7085. The field boundaries are very straight, and look recent, but there is ridge and furrow at SX 6290 7067.

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

(14/07/1988) SX 62917055. The ruins of Fox Tor Farmhouse are at maximum, 1.8m in height. The coursed walls, up to 0.7m thick, are mortared and have a rubble infill with some dressed slabs on the corners. The interior and much of the surrounding area is covered by tumbled material and debris. The ruined outbuildings have walls of coursed drystone construction up to 1.2m in height.
The surrounding C19th field system is clearly visible. The field boundaries are either well constructed coursed drystone walls on average 0.7m high and 0.7m thick or 0.6m high earthen banks, most of which have one revetted face and an associated, silted, ditch. The ancient wall noted by Hemery was not identified.
Small plots of cultivation ridges, probably spade working, are visible centred at SX 6287058 and SX 62887063. These open ended plots have ridges each about 1.7m wide and 0.2m in height.

Devon County Council Photographic Unit, 1988, DAP/JW, 3 (Aerial Photograph). SDV214895.

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

The ruins of Fox Tor farmhouse (at SX62917055) remain to a maximum of 1.8 meters in height. The coursed walls, measuring up to 0.7 meters thick, are mortared and have a rubble infill with some dressed slabs on the corners. The interior and much of the surrounding area is covered by tumbled material and debris. The ruined outbuildings have walls of coursed drystone construction up to 1.2 meters in height. The surrounding 19th century field system is clearly visible. The field boundaries are either well-constructed coursed drystone walls on average 0.7 meters high and 0.7 meters thick or 0.6 meter high earthen banks, most of which have one revetted face and an associated, silted, ditch. The ancient wall noted by Hemery was not identified. Small plots of cultivation ridges, probably spadeworking, are visible centred at SX6287058 and SX62887063. These open ended plots have ridges each about 1.7 meters wide and 0.2 meters high.

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

This site was considered for designation as a Scheduled Ancient Monument during the Monument Protection Programme. The programme ended before the entire list of sites was successfully scheduled so this is included on a local list of Nationally Important Sites.

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

Fox Tor a deserted farmstead.

Williams, C., 2021, Notes on some Dartmoor Farms (Personal Comment). SDV364196.

Noted by Hemery (1983, 355); first lease of the farm September 1809. Abandoned in late 1860s.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8630 - Fox Tor Newtake Duchy Farms Survey
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project
• EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project

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