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Summary

Deserted farmstead to the east of Manga Hill was possibly known as 'Mandles' and is shown on the 19th century Tithe Map. It is listed on the Tithe Map Apportionment as being part of 'Teignhead Farm'. Manga House lies on the steep east-facing slope of Manga Hill. The abandoned remains comprise a three-roomed dwelling and two small enclosures.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Earthworks and stone walls of deserted medieval farmstead on Manga Hill, circa 590 metres north-east of Teignhead Farm

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX68SW5
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 443920
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX68SW/87

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• DESERTED SETTLEMENT (Constructed, XVIII to XIX - 1800 AD (Between) to 1900 AD (Between))
• ENCLOSURE (Constructed, XVIII to XIX - 1800 AD (Between) to 1900 AD (Between))
• FARMHOUSE (Constructed, XVIII to XIX - 1800 AD (Between) to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

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

Three buildings shown on 19th century Tithe Map around a rectangular yard. The Apportionment for 'Teignhead Farm' lists Field Numbers 316-318 as 'Arable Plot'.

Royal Air Force, 1946 - 1949, Royal Air Force Aerial Photographs, 1995 2366-7 (Aerial Photograph). SDV342938.

Photograph taken on 13th April 1947.

Linehan, C. D., 1966, Deserted Sites and Rabbit-Warrens on Dartmoor, Devon, 113-144 (Article in Serial). SDV307246.

Haynes, R. G., 1966-1969, Ruined Sites on Dartmoor, 80, Plan (Un-published). SDV150434.

Site visited on 14th June 1966. A longhouse of three rooms with additions and enclosures. Mortared stone with porch and remains of two windows with sills. Back to back fireplace of granite.

National Monument Record, 1977, SX6484, 1/231-2 (Aerial Photograph). SDV269515.

Photograph taken on 18th May 1977.

Starkey, F. H., 1978-1981, A Misplaced Dartmoor Farm, 146-9 (Article in Serial). SDV269512.

A small group of enclosures similar in diameter to those listed by Linehan and considered to be deserted Medieval sites. Deserted farmstead identified by author as Mandles Farm, previously misplaced by Crossing. Not named on 1840 tithe map. The farm was probably derelict before Teignhead Farm was built in 1870. Farmhouse circa 12 metres by 4 metres with three rooms. Outbuildings and courtyard on western side. Walls remain in places to a height of 2 metres originally of only one storey.

Hemery, E., 1983, High Dartmoor, 813-8 (Monograph). SDV249702.

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

Appears differently on 1977 aerial photograph to the 1:10560 1954 Ordnance Survey map representation, with a 4-roomed longhouse with a smaller building north of it and enclosures/ courtyards extending from it.

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

(09/04/1990) Manga House, centred SX 63918486, lies on a slight shelf on the steep E-facing slope of Manga Hill. The remains comprise a three-roomed dwelling and two small enclosures.
Positioned along the slope the structure measures 14m N-S by 3.8m internally with boulder walls 0.6m thick and up to 2.0m high.
The walls have a loose growan infill and the boulders show no signs of drill-splitting.
The basic structure is subdivided by two cross walls; the southern room contains the remains of a fireplace. An entrance is visible in the E wall of the central room and a small yard or garden abuts the SE corner. A small inlay is attached to the S wall.
Two small enclosures, one containing lazy bed plots lie in the immediate area with further unenclosed lazy beds at the foot of the slope near the North Teign River.
Several hundred clearance cairns and three lengths of unfinished walling (SX 68 SW 92) lie to the E, N and S of the house.
It seems unlikely that this farmstead is of medieval origin as suggested by Linehan (1966, 113-144); the evidence suggests the date of construction was between 1808 and 1818. In November 1808 a lease of 1551 acres (Hemery, 1983, 813-8) was granted by the Duchy of Cornwall with a covenant that two farmhouses were to be built within ten years. Manga House and Teignhead Farm (SX 68 SW 102) are the only buildings within the area of the leased lands.
It is not known when Manga House was abandoned.

GeoInformation Group Ltd, 2010, 1:625 2010 Colour (12.5cm resolution) (Aerial Photograph). SDV346026.

Ruined farmstead visible on aerial photograph comprising a longhouse orientated broadly north - south with a small rectangular enclosure on the north side and larger enclosures on the east and west sides and a drove way extending to the south.

Ordnance Survey, 2013, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV350786.

Group of adjoining buildings and several small enclosures shown on modern mapping.

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

Mandles deserted settlement.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8651 - Teignhead Newtake, Duchy Farms Survey
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project
• EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project

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