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Summary

A group of buildings including a Medieval longhouse, house and post Medieval longhouse. The longhouse dates to the early 16th century and has a rear wing which was added in the 17th century. The small house dates to the early or mid-16th century. The farmhouse was previously a long house and dates to the 17th century with later alterations and additions. A nearby barn has a 15th century wooden door frame built into the gable.
Farmed as a single farm, although the dwellings have mostly functioned as agricultural buildings. In the late 1980s West Chapple was sold as a private dwelling, but Chapple continues to be farmed.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX68NE64
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 443657
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX68NE/14
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX68NE64

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FARMSTEAD (Constructed, XIV to XVII - 1400 AD (Between) to 1699 AD (Between))
• HAMLET (Constructed, Late Medieval - 1401 AD (Between) to 1539 AD (Between))

Full description

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV256154.

Des=timms, s. /as above/(16/11/1983). Chapple. A group of three houses and adjoining barns. One house, west chapple, is an important longhouse (sx68ne/14/4), and another (sx68ne/14/2) is a probable longhouse. No documentary evidence is currently available predating the hamlet's appearance as "chapel" on donn's map of 1765.(timms).

Donn, B., 1765, A Map of the County of Devon (Cartographic). SDV339776.

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

The Tithe Map depiction of Chapple shows the farm with most of the same buildings that remain today. The barn south of the main farmhouse does not have its engine house at this time, the adjacent cow house has not yet been remodelled and there is no sign of the chicken/pig house. Otherwise, the dwellings appear largely the same. The main house and West Chapple show no internal divisions at this time. 131-135 on the Gidleigh Apportionment.

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

The late 19th century historic map shows West Chapple divided into two properties and the engine house on the threshing barn. Still no sign of the chicken house.

Ordnance Survey, 1904 - 1906, Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV325644.

Early 20th century historic map of Chapple shows the chicken house and it appears the changes to the cow house have taken place. Chapple is shown subdivided (although this may have been used as separate properties for longer - see related record).

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1978, SX68NE64 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV273952.

(13/02/1978) 1. SX 67118908. A Medieval longhouse of exceptional interest, dated as early 16th century by its hall-beam and cruck truss. It consists of a main range with a rear wing added in the later 17th century. The main range is built of small, irregular granite blocks on massive boulder footings. Above the Shippon, which is almost unaltered, is a hay-loft with a loading-door which is perhaps the earliest known example. The later wing is of coursed blocks and rubble, and may have been a kitchen as it has a large fireplace. The building is to be renovated for habitation.
2. SX 67198912. An early to mid 16th century small house which was never a longhouse. It is constructed of squared blocks and measures 8.0m x 4.2m internally. It has no divisions on either the ground or upper floor; it has a fire-place and a circular stair. The house was inhabited within living memory.
3. SX 67168911. The present farmhouse was probably a longhouse, perhaps of the 17th century. It has been much renovated and has no external visible features of interest. To the south of the farmhouse is a barn with a 15th century wooden door-frame built into the gable.
Revised at 1:2500 on AM. See photographs.

McKay, K., 1994 - 1997, Dartmoor National Park Authority Farmstead Survey 1994-1997 (Report - Survey). SDV344544.

Farmstead included in survey. Visited on 01/03/1992.

Grumley-Grennan, T. + Hardy, M., 2000, Gidleigh. A Dartmoor Village Past and Present, 137-145 (Monograph). SDV359347.

Farmstead dates to at least the 16th century, based on dating evidence from the buildings, and includes Chapple farmhouse; which probably began as a Dartmoor longhouse. Also included West Chapple, another 16th century longhouse which was described in 1924 as two labourers cottages. A cottage east of Chapple farmhouse provided a further dwelling and as Chapple Farm itself was split into two dwellings for most of the 19th and 20th centuries, there was accommodation for 25 people in 1881; in modern times only a single family occupies the farm.
Chapple was owned by the Vogwell family through most of the 17th century, but after 1705 the farm passed to the Rowe family of Berrydown. The farm changed hands throughout the 18th and 19th centuries and in 1965 was bought by Tommy Fox Pit (Commander Thomas Stanley Lane Fox-Pitt OBE), who lived there for 20 years with his wife and farmed well into his eighties.
He sold West Chapple to his daughter in 1973 and it was converted into its present form. Both Chapple and West Chapple have now changed hands a number of times, but the main farm continues to be worked. West Chapple is a private dwelling.

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

The modern map shows Chapple Farm and various buildings.

Historic England, 2021-2022, NRHE to HER website, Accessed 24/06/2022 (Website). SDV364039.

[443657 / SX68NE64] SX 672891. Chapple. Longhouses.
1. Early 16th century longhouse. Essentially a completely traditional longhouse.
2. Early 16th century house. Not a longhouse.
3. Probably a 17th century longhouse. Inhabited. To the south is a barn with a 15th century wooden doorframe (citing Devon SMR; no further detail, but probably Timms, 1983).

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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