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Summary

Building 'C' at Challacombe Medieval settlement shown on 19th century and later maps which may have originaly been a Medieval longhouse

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1021395: Deserted medieval settlement at Challacombe

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX67NE/67/1

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BUILDING (Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1750 AD (Between))

Full description

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

Rectangular building shown on 19th century Tithe Map at 'Challacombes' with a small rectangular enclosure adjoining to the south.

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

Building shown on 19th century map with small enclosure to the south.

Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, 1963, Monuments Threatened or Destroyed. A Select List: 1956-1962, 31 (Monograph). SDV289739.

Challacombe house, ruin. Ruin of stone. Small Medieval house, probably of one room originally, enlarged to two rooms in 15th century.

Griffiths, D. M., 1988, Challacombe: Excavations at east end of building 3 (Report - Excavation). SDV288603.

Building 3. Shown as outbuilding on 1843 Tithe Map.Stabilisation and consolidation of east (end) wall a trench 0.5 metres wide was dug along its inside length (5.1 4metres), down to the bottom course. The wall has broad and narrow quoins, a splayed slit window in the centre and a drain opening 0.25 metres by 0.3 metres. The east end wall (not disturbed in excavation) sat in a shallow foundation trench of maximum excavated depth 0.18 metres. Lying immediately on top of subsoil was a layer of redeposited natural forming a base for the tightly packed cobbling which covered most of the floor area. An iron nail was found in this context. At the east end the cobbling and its base had been cut by an apparent drainage gully, containing rubble and mortar fragments. South of the drain outlet a similar fill was overlain by 5 stone slabs set level with the cobbles. This produced 19-20th century pottery. Cobbling would appear not to be contemporary with the end wall.

Griffith, F. M., 1990, DAP/TV, 13-14 (Aerial Photograph). SDV160790.

Photograph taken on 23rd September 1990.

Agricultural Development Advisory Service, 1991, Challacombe Farm Postbridge, Devon (Duchy Farms Project), 25, Map D1 (Report - Assessment). SDV356546.

Building 'c' a rectangular building set into the slope is possibly a much altered longhouse. Its walls, originally drystone, are 0.6 metres wide and apart from the ruined south side stand between 1.9 metres and roof height. There are windows in the north and east walls. Internally the building is divided into three rooms with paved or cobbled floors. The room at the lower east end is an addition. It has a blocked doorway in its west wall. Drain at internal floor level and impressive corners of large granite slabs.

Pattison, P., 1999, Challacombe Revisited, 61-70 (Monograph). SDV359495.

Shown as building '3' on plan of Challacombe settlement.

Ordnance Survey, 2016, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV359352.

Building shown on modern mapping.

Historic England, 2016, National Heritage List for England, 1021395 (National Heritage List for England). SDV359353.

The monument, which falls into two areas, includes a deserted Medieval settlement situated immediately north of the present day farmhouse at Challacombe. The settlement includes at least seven separate buildings set alongside a north-south aligned track. All of the buildings survive at least in part, as standing granite walling, although many are also composed of earthworks where the walling has collapsed. The settlement continued in use into the Post-Medieval period and some of the earlier longhouses were altered during this time. The best preserved building stands within the southern part of the settlement and its walls remain largely intact. There are windows in the northern and eastern walls, it is divided into three rooms and has corners built of large granite blocks. The earliest documentary reference to this site is in 1481 when it is referred to as 'Chalvecombe' and by 1613 there were five separate tenements which continued in use until at least 1880.

National Monument Record, 2016, Pastscape, 442451 (Website). SDV359354.

Building 'C' a rectangular building with three rooms in a series measuring 3.2 metres, 3.5 metres and 4.4.metres long by 5 metres internally with paved or cobbled floors, one incorporating a drain. Its walls average 0.6 metres in width and stand between 1.9 metres and roof height except on the south long wall which in places is only 0.5 metres high. The lower end room is an addition with a drain at internal floor level and impressive corners of large granite slabs ("long and short work"). There are windows in the north and east walls and a blocked doorway in the lower part of the partition walls. Although possibly once a longhouse it is much altered. It is shown on the Tithe Map but was not then a dwelling.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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