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Summary

Fortified courtyard wall at Blegberry Farm with observation platform and loopholes. An extremely unusual and very well-preserved example of a 17th century defensive wall to a coastal farmstead, of which no other is known in Devon.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Field boundaries of a pre-medieval Enclosure and Traditional U-Shaped Listed Farm Buildings (Grade II) at Blegberry Farm, Bideford

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS22NW/4/2
• Old Listed Building Ref (II*): 91185
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SS22NW1
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SS22NW4

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• WALL (Built, XVII - 1601 AD (Between) to 1700 AD (Between))

Full description

Chope, R. P., 1940, The Book of Hartland, 49 (Monograph). SDV340768.

Pevsner, N., 1952, The Buildings of England: North Devon, 56 (Monograph). SDV336196.

Strong wall with an observation platform and loopholes to guard the approach (citing Jope).

Jope, E. M., 1961, Studies in Building History, 153,159,214,215 (Monograph). SDV1938.

17th century fortified wall, Blegberry Farm. On the west side, the farmhouse and garden are enclosed by a high fortified wall with two gun holes. A datestone on the parapet of the wall reads 'W 1606 A'. Other details: Plan.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1978 - 1980, SS22NW1 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV7371.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1979 - 1981, SS22NW4 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV8093.

Site visit 1st December 1978. The Civil War fortification consists of a wall 3.0 metres high and 0.6 metres thick and incorporates two or three musket loops. There is no evidence of fortification on the eastern or landward side of the house but this area is occupied by barns and modern buildings.

Timms, S. C., 1980, Blegberry Farm (Worksheet). SDV7363.

Parapet datestone mentioned by Jope now illegible.

Timms, S. C., 1980, Blegberry, 426/17-20 (Ground Photograph). SDV341557.

Higham, R. A., 1980s, Blegberry, Hartland (Ground Photograph). SDV365113.

Black and white photos of the farmhouse and fortified wall.

Griffith, F. M., 1984, DAP/BM, 5, 6, 7 (Aerial Photograph). SDV7381.

Collings, A. G. + Manning, P. T. + Valentin, J., 2007, The North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Phase 1. Archaeological Survey. Summary Report, No. 21 (Report - Assessment). SDV339712.

Blegberry Farm. Courtyard wall to defended farmhouse, and extending approximately 50m to the south. No other C17 defensive wall to coastal farmstead known in Devon. Contains gun loops and at the north end a date-stone of 1606 with 'WA' - William Atkyns who died in 1608.

English Heritage, 2009, List of Buildings of Architectural or Historic Interest (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV343181.

Date Listed: 20th February 1958. Courtyard wall immediately to west of Blegberry Farmhouse and extending approximately 50 metres to the south.
Courtyard wall to farmhouse, incorporating ramparts and platform and extending to the south parallel to the coastline. Dated 1606. Battered rubble walls with shaped stone coping and dripcourse. The wall forms a defensive courtyard on the south-western side of the house looking out to sea, curving around a corner at its south-western extreme containing on the inside stone steps and a little rectangular projection. At its northern end is a date-stone of 1606 with the initials 'WA' signifying William Atkyns who died in 1608. The pistol loops have wide internal splays. At the south-eastern corner of the courtyard wall is a simple doorway with rough stone lintel. At the northern end the wall incorporates a probably inserted stone outbuilding of one storey with stone steps up to a central doorway and small window to either side. To the south the wall continues beyond the house parallel to a cart track for approximately 50 metres and then returns to the east with a noticeable batter at the corner.
This is an extremely unusual and very well-preserved example of a 17th century defensive wall to a coastal farmstead of which no other such type is known in Devon. The north coasts of Devon and Cornwall were a well-known haunt of maranding pirates in Tudor and Elizabethan times. In 1608 a commission was issued to the Earl of Bath, who took the deposition of three persons of Barnstaple to the effect that the merchants were daily robbed at sea by pirates who took refuge at Lundy. Other details: LBS No. 91185.

Ordnance Survey, 2015, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV357601.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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