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Summary

A settlement at Knathorne mentioned in Domesday and shown as three separate farmsteads on 19th century maps.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SS70SE17
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS70SE/157/1

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• SETTLEMENT (Early Medieval to XVIII - 1066 AD to 1800 AD)

Full description

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

Three farmsteads are shown, Higher, Middle and Lower Knathorn which occupy a U-shaped area bordered by Slade Lane and Gollands Lane. Orchards are shown between the three farmsteads and also wells.

Reichel, O. J., 1897, The Domesday Hundreds of Devon: Part 3. The Hundred of North Tawton, 252 (Article in Serial). SDV337560.

Knathorne gives its name to the Knathorne Brook which forms the parish boundary between Morchard Bishop and Sandford. The brook was once known as the 'Schipebroc' (Sheep Brook) and is mentioned in a charter of AD930.
At the time of Domesday, Knathorne Farm appears to have been part of Shobrooke (Schipebroc) owned by Walter of Claville. Before 1066 it was held by Britric.

Gover, J. E. B. + Mawer, A. + Stenton, F. M., 1932, The Place-Names of Devon: Part Two (Monograph). SDV337894.

Knathorn is mentioned as 'Knavethorne' in 1330 and 'Knawthorne' in 1710.

Dyer, M. J., 1994, Exeter Museums Archaeological Field Unit Field Investigation (Site Visit). SDV339529.

Site visit 1st August 1994. Knathorne is shown as three separate farms, Lower, Middle and Higher Knathorn on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey 6 inch map; now contracted and amalgamated. The remains of a building are visible just west of the gate opposite what was Middle Knathorne Farmhouse; on the south side of Farm Lane aligned east to west, parallel to it. Clear stone footings (parallel east to west) 11 metres apart can be traced for 7 metres and then scattered stone for further 6 metres east. Its position matches a building shown on Tithe Map Plot No 27, and one of a cluster of buildings shown on the 19th century map. A sunken trackway is visible circa 80 metres to the south running east to west right across the field; this is shown on the Tithe Map but not on the 6 inch map.

Ordnance Survey, 2024, Mastermap 2024 (Cartographic). SDV365834.

The site of Lower Knathorn is now occupied by modern farm buildings. The farm houses of Higher Knathorne and Middle Knathorne are still extant, the latter now two cottages, but the associated farm buildings shown on the 1880s-1890s Ordnance Survey map have largely gone.

Pope, N., 2024, MDV58888 Knathorne Settlement (Correspondence). SDV365950.

The Lay Subsidy Roll of 1332 includes John and Robert de Knauthorn. The Pope family resided at Knathorne from at least 1580 until the late 19th century. A lease of 1687 describes the property as ‘all that messuage or tenement and water grist mills with appurtenances commonly called…Knathorne’. It included ‘all manner of’ houses, orchards, gardens, meadows, pastures, woods, commons, mill leats and ponds.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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