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Summary

Former medieval longhouse subsequently used as a barn and now (1996) under restoration. Known as 'Scribbles'.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II*) 1105776: LONGHOUSE AT SX 466 780

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX47NE21
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX47NE/45
• Old Listed Building Ref (II*)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• LONGHOUSE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD (Between))

Full description

NMR, SX47NE21 (National Monuments Record Database). SDV337958.

Department of Environment, 1987, Lamerton, 23 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV337955.

Longhouse, now barn. 15th century origin, probably abandoned c1600 with some later alterations. Slatestone rubble with greenstone dressings, short cob upper parts to walls, remains of wheat reed thatch under corrugated iron roof. Orientated east/west on fairly steep slope; a longhouse with hall to left and shippon to right without a hall and structural division between passage and shippon. A curious feature of the plan is the full height projection at the higher end of the front. One and a half storeys. Interior passage open to shippon, wall to left probably inserted, no fireplace but signs of two projections, possibly suggesting to a hood; hall end has keeping hole in north wall, splayed reveals to window openings. Roof structural features. This is one of the rare surviving primitive longhouses which originally had no structural partitions. However the pointed arched door is of quite high quality. I t was particularly interesting because it was abandoned so early and shows clearly its original plan form without later alterations. See DoE list for full details.

Cherry, B. + Pevsner, N., 1989, The Buildings of England: Devon, 530 (Monograph). SDV325629.

Keystone Historic Buildings Consultants, 1990, Disused Longhouse at Lower Chaddlehanger, Lamerton, Devon (Report - Survey). SDV337956.

Apparently the earliest building in the hamlet of Chaddlehanger. Includes the extensive remains of a medieval hall house with a two or three-room and cross passage Dartmoor longhouse plan. Oldest fabric could be 14th century, with evidence for various changes between then and 17th century. In late 18th century the domestic section was abandoned and the whole building used for housing cattle. Present plan has two shippons separated by the cross passage. There is a timber boarded partition between the passage and the original shippon to west. The full height stone wall along the east side of the passage separates it from the e shippon (former hall). It once incorporated the hall fireplace, but the stack has been removed to increase shippon space. Present layout probably dates from late 18th century. There was a minor remodelling in late 19th-early 20th century. Stone built with some cob on wall tops.
Three distinct phases:Phase i: Medieval. Original masonry survives each side of former hall. Walls c750mm thick, on a foundation course of large blocks of white quartz. Masonry above is distinctive blocks of local sandstone and the odd lump of quartz in rough courses with copious thin stone chippings. Original openings are of large, diagonally-tooled blocks of green hurdwick ashlar. Phase ii: 17th century shippon. Rebuilt with lower quality masonry. Walls 600-800mm thick on foundation of quartz boulders. Slit windows of roughly shaped slabs of hurdwick. The 16th century cresswall is similar. Phase iii: Later alterations. Late 18th century rebuilt at east end is also of random rubble. Here the doorway has a flat brick head (as does the passage s doorway). They may have been repaired with brick in late 19th-early 20th century. The sill of the hayloft doorway inserted at e end in late 19th-early 20th century is a single slab of granite. The roof of thatch under corrugated iron had blown off in 1989.
See report for full details, photos and documentary evidence.

Greeves, T. A. P., 1996, Untitled Source (Personal Comment). SDV337957.

Longhouse knnown as 'Scribbles' with nearly 9m x 4.5m wide of medieval house surviving. Side walls stand up to 2.75m high. Being restored by owner in 1996.

Child, P., 1997, Restoration of Long House at Lower Chaddlehanger (Correspondence). SDV347282.

Visited 20th January 1997. The one surviving 18th century roof truss has been lost in the process of re-roofing.

Sanders, J., 2011, Changing Times for Dartmoor Longhouses, 58-61 (Article in Serial). SDV347499.

Longhouse dating back to the 14th or 15th century or earlier. Converted into a cattle house back beyond living memory. Now fully restored to a small house and shippon.

Ordnance Survey, 2011, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV346129.

Rainbird, P., 2017, Scribbles, Chaddlehanger, Lamerton, Tavistock: Excavation (Report - Excavation). SDV364086.

An archaeological excavation at Scribbles, Chaddlehanger, Lamerton, Tavistock, Devon, was undertaken by AC archaeology during June and July 2017. The excavation comprised one trench measuring 5m long by 0.8m wide. It was placed externally to the east of Scribbles, a Grade II* Listed Devon longhouse of late medieval date, and was positioned to assess the extent of survival for a suspected former inner room of the longhouse.

The excavation revealed that the room had previously existed and was furnished with a surviving slate slab floor beneath abandonment, demolition and levelling deposits. The south wall had previously been identified as a standing structure but the north wall was absent, although there was some possible evidence for an external doorway on the supposed line of the wall. Finds from the deposits in-filling the former room included pottery of medieval and post-medieval date, ironwork and window glass.

A sherd of North Devon medieval courseware was recovered from context 105 and dates between 1200 to the middle of the 15th century. 14 sherds of post-medieval pottery was also recoverd along with modern cbm, 19th-20th century glass, a horse shoe and an undated handmade nail.

Historic England, 2018, National Heritage List for England, (1987 Listing data) (National Heritage List for England). SDV360653.

LAMERTON SX 47 NE 3/28 - Longhouse at SX 466 780 - II*
Longhouse, now barn. C15 origin, probably abandoned c.1600, with some later alterations. Slatestone rubble with greenstone dressings, short cob upper parts to walls, remains of wheat reed thatch under corrugated iron roof. Oriented east/west on fairly steep slope; a longhouse with hall to left and shippon to right without a structural division between passage and shippon. The full height solid wall between hall and passage is a later insertion and may have supported a fire hood. There is also no partition at higher end of hall. Therefore if the house were originally divided it would have been by low screens. A curious feature of the plan is the full height projection at the higher end of the front. I½ storeys, possibly raised for storage above upper end, north front has projection to left, not clear for what purpose, and narrow opening, small square opening with stone lintel and straight joint below, possibly originally deeper, 2-centred arched stone door opening, chamfered with edge set slate arch, very neat masonry, later door and corrugated iron lean-to attached to shippon end to right. Higher gable end to left has loading door with granite cill inserted at upper level; lower gable end has ventilation slit in stone surround and drain. Rear has stonework rebuilt at higher and lower ends, possibly originally extended further at higher end, rear door blocked, single light with cambered brick head inserted, 2 ventilation slits to loft in shippon, one to right. Interior passage open to shippon, wall to left probably inserted, no fireplace but signs of 2 projections, possibly suggesting to a hood; hall end has keeping hole in north wall, splayed reveals to window openings. One true cruck truss foot to south built into cross wall, roof over lower end has 2 cut-off beams and mortices remaining from others, 5 bays including passage, crossed principals with side-pegged collars, battens for thatch. This is one of the rare surviving primitive longhouses which originally had no structural partitions. However the pointed arched door is of quite high quality. It was particularly interesting because it was abandoned so early and shows clearly its original plan form without later alterations. It may have been abandoned when Cleaves, Chaddlehanger (qv) was built, 1585. (Sources: Alcock, Dr N. : Unpublished notes 1985).
Listing NGR: SX4653477795

Sources / Further Reading

SDV325629	Monograph: Cherry, B. + Pevsner, N.. 1989. The Buildings of England: Devon. The Buildings of England: Devon. Hardback Volume. 530.
SDV337955	List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest: Department of Environment. 1987. Lamerton. Historic Houses Register. A4 Spiral Bound. 23.
SDV337956	Report - Survey: Keystone Historic Buildings Consultants. 1990. Disused Longhouse at Lower Chaddlehanger, Lamerton, Devon. Keystone Historic Buildings Consultants Report. A4 Stapled.
SDV337957	Personal Comment: Greeves, T. A. P.. 1996. Not Applicable.
SDV337958	National Monuments Record Database: NMR. SX47NE21. NMR Index. Unknown.
SDV346129	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 2011. MasterMap. Ordnance Survey. Map (Digital). [Mapped feature: #107167 ]
SDV347282	Correspondence: Child, P.. 1997. Restoration of Long House at Lower Chaddlehanger. Letter to Local Planning Authority. A4 Stapled.
SDV347499	Article in Serial: Sanders, J.. 2011. Changing Times for Dartmoor Longhouses. Devon Buildings Group Newsletter. 29. A4 Stapled + Digital. 58-61.
SDV360653	National Heritage List for England: Historic England. 2018. National Heritage List for England. Historic Houses Register. Digital. (1987 Listing data).
SDV364086	Report - Excavation: Rainbird, P.. 2017. Scribbles, Chaddlehanger, Lamerton, Tavistock: Excavation. AC Archaeology. ACD1638/1/0. Digital.
	Linked documents:1

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4192 - Disused Longhouse at Lower Chaddlehangar
• EDV8582 - Excavation: Scribbles, Chaddlehanger, Lamerton, Tavistock (Ref: ACD1638/1/0)

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