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Summary

Farmhouse dates to the 16th/17th century with later alterations and has a slate hipped roof. Two of ground floor windows have original lintels of what were stone mullion windows. 20th century gabled porch at centre with panelled and glazed door. Listing includes range of 18th century farm buildings adjoining at rear (north). Built around three sides of a farmyard with the house on the south side. Granite with corrugated iron roofs. Barns and cattlesheds. Was the seat of the Heles an important South Devon family and considerable landowners in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1162480: SOUTH (OR LOWER) HELE INCLUDING RANGE OF FARM BUILDINGS ADJOINING NORTH

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX66SW/160
• Old Listed Building Ref (II)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FARMHOUSE (Constructed, XV to XVII - 1500 AD to 1699 AD (Between))
• FARM BUILDING (Constructed, XVII to XVIII - 1700 AD to 1799 AD (Between))

Full description

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

Farmstead is depicted on the late 19th century historic map.

Hoskins, W. G., 1954, A New Survey of England: Devon, 376 (Monograph). SDV17562.

Department of Environment, 1984, South Hams, 22 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV336648.

South Hele, Hele Cross. Farmhouse and farm buildings. Circa 16th/17th century with later alterations. Rendered stone with granite dressings. Slate hipped roof. Two storeys. Three window range. 19th/20th century casements in enlarged openings. Two of ground floor windows have original lintels of what were stone mullion windows. 20th century gabled porch at centre with panelled and glazed door. Stone chimneystack at higher end.
Wing at rear of higher end with half-hipped roof and forming L-shaped plan. Outshuts and chimneystack on rear wall. Byre at lower end with some stone mullion windows with hoodmoulds, possibly revised.
Interior of north wing a chamfered ceiling beam with pyramid stops possibly reused. Including range of farm buildings adjoining at rear (north). Built around three sides of a farmyard with the house on the south side. Circa 18th century. Granite with corrugated iron roofs. Barns and cattlesheds. Through the east range a segmental arched cartway.
Hele was the seat of the Heles an important south Devon family and considerable landowners in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Snell, R., 1986, Green Lanes in Devon Project (Un-published). SDV8442.

South Hele Farm was the ancestral home of the Hele family.

Thorp, J. + Cox, J., 1996, A Medieval Window South Hele Farm Cornwood, 1-17 (Report - Assessment). SDV363328.

A brief history of the farmhouse given. Report deals mainly with discussion and recording of a 15th or early 16th century timber trefoil window at South Hele. Constructed from oak, the window consists of one unmoulded trefoil-headed light in a square-headed frame, constructed unusually with pegged, mortised joints between the lintel, sill and jambs. Window sits on a large piece of freestone with slate packing pieces between the stone and the sill.
Window is sited in the north wall of the farmhouse in a small modern toilet on the first floor and exterior is blocked with masonry.
A number of possible conclusions suggested:
-window may have lit a medieval cross passage associated with an open hall; to provide light and ventilation to the passage when the outer door was closed (no parallels known).
-it may have lit a first floor room in the storied end of a 15th or early 16th century open hall house (e.g.: a solar).
-may have been a first floor window in a fully storied early 16th century house, which would be unusual in the vernacular style in Devon. May have been reused from an earlier phase and possibly reduced in size.
-might have been part of a storied wing of a much larger house, with the hall range on a different axis. This could be supported by the interpretation that this house served as the mansion house of the Hele family in the 16th and 17th centuries and by the presence of reused material both here and at North Hele.
It is possible this window could be a cut-down fragment of a larger window.

Ordnance Survey, 2017, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV359962.

Farm buildings at South Hele are depicted on the modern mapping.

Historic England, 2017, National Heritage List for England, Accessed 31/01/2017 (National Heritage List for England). SDV359963.

SX 66 SW CORNWOOD HELE CROSS 7/51 South (or Lower) Hele 29-3-60 including range of farm buildings adjoining north (south (or lower) Hele only previously listed) - II
Farmhouse and farm buildings. Circa C16/17 with later alterations. Rendered stone with granite dressings. Slate hipped roof. Two storeys. Three window range. C19/20 casements in enlarged openings. Two of ground floor windows have original lintels of what were stone mullion windows. C20 gabled porch at centre with panelled and glazed door. Stone chimneystack at higher end.
Wing at rear of higher end with half-hipped roof and forming L-shaped plan. Outshuts and chimneystack on rear wall. Byre at lower end with some stone mullion windows with hoodmoulds, possibly revised. Interior of north wing a chamfered ceiling beam with pyramid stops possibly reused. Including range of farm buildings adjoining at rear (north). Built around 3 sides of a farmyard with the house on the south side. Circa C18. Granite with corrugated iron roofs. Barns and cattlesheds. Through the east range a segmental arched cartway.
Hele was the seat of the Heles an important South Devon family and considerable landowners in C16 and C17. Reference: W C Hoskins "A New Survey of England, Devon", page 376.
Listing NGR: SX6124860924

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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