See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

Ruined Medieval site containing at least six rectangular structures generally aligned east-west. Earthworks of a settlement with the remains of a long house and 17th century house. Also called Ford Barrow.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1003196: A deserted medieval settlement and post medieval farmstead 510m north east of East Rook Gate
• SHINE: Earthworks and walling of probable medieval field system incorporating Ford Barn and Ford Waste deserted medieval settlements and also several Bronze Age enclosures and hut circles to east of Rook Tor

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX66SW64
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 442362
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX66SW/80
• Old SAM County Ref: 899

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• DESERTED SETTLEMENT (Constructed, Early Medieval to XVIII - 1066 AD (Between) to 1800 AD (Between))

Full description

Gover, J. E. B. + Mawer, A. + Stenton, F. M., 1931, The Place-Names of Devon: Part One, 271 (Monograph). SDV1312.

'Ford' is mentioned in lay subsidy roll 1330. This may refer to this site of Ford Waste (SX66SW/99).

Royal Air Force, 1948, RAF/CPE/UK/2494, 3055-56 (Aerial Photograph). SDV147533.

othing visible on air photographs area tree-covered.

Royal Air Force, 1953, 58/1110, 0052 (Aerial Photograph). SDV157241.

Linehan, C. D., 1965, Deserted Sites on Dartmoor, Devon, 172 (Article in Serial). SDV217992.

Ford Barn, deserted farmstead. Land tax list, 1781.

Linehan, C. D., 1966, Deserted Sites and Rabbit-Warrens on Dartmoor, Devon, 113-115, Table 2, figs 56, 57a (Article in Serial). SDV307246.

(SX 60886183) Ford or Ford Barn is the largest of the six deserted Medieval sites in Cornwood parish. Seven buildings have been counted; the whole settlement area lies in a large enclosure, and the uneven ground with a confusion of banks and walls, indicates numerous rebuildings and a considerable period of occupation. One long-house on the southwest side, lying on a different alignment and showing only slight remains, suggests an earlier phase of occupation. The largest house appears to be of typical 17th century construction; two other buildings are of still later date, showing the use of mortar. Desertion is complete.

Haynes, R. G., 1966-1969, Ruined Sites on Dartmoor, 36 (Un-published). SDV150434.

(Site visited 30/3/1966). Two buildings are of mortared stone while to the west, there are the remains of a longhouse which has been extended. Age of oak trees suggests a long period of abandonment of the site.

Department of Environment, 1971, Medieval settlement at Ford Barn (Schedule Document). SDV155354.

Deserted medieval site consisting of seven longhouses varying in length from 11.0 – 7.0 meters and width 4.6 - 3.7 meters, within an enclosure. Three were incorporated later and are now ruined barns. Turf-covered dry stone walls.

Hall, J. + Hamlin, A., 1976, Deserted Medieval Settlements in Devon, 5 (Article in Serial). SDV38836.

Site includes at least six buildings in enclosures.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1979, SX66SW64 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV155364.

(12/07/1979) The Ford Barn complex at SX 61976183 is generally as described (1966), though some features depicted on the published plan cannot now be traced. The longhouse foundations at the southern end of the site may be of Medieval date but other buildings appear to be much later.
Surveyed at 1:2500 on MSD.

Robinson, R., 1983, Untitled Source (Site Visit). SDV346249.

Field Monument Warden Visit

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

Not visible due to tree cover on National Monuments Record or Royal Air Force aerial photographs.

Griffiths, D. M., 1986, Ford Barn deserted medieval settlement (Worksheet). SDV155369.

(Site visited 23/1/1986 by D. Griffiths and R. Robinson). The site is situated on the lower slope of Penn Beacon just above Ford Brook in a sheltered area of sparse deciduous woodland. There are signs of later occupation, principally buildings D and G (see separate records), which are post medieval. Six buildings identified at the site, the southern two of which are probably medieval longhouses, partly reconstructed in places. Building E has not been included as a record as it could not be securely identified at this time. Other details: Annotated plan from Linehan included.

Ordnance Survey, 2010, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV344030.

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

Ford Barn deserted longhouse.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.