See important guidance on the use of this record.

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

Summary

Farmhouse, unoccupied at time of listing (1980s), remains in partial use as a farm building (2019). Possible 14th century origin, with high quality vernacular alterations in the 16th and early 17th century, partially rebuilt and extended in 19th century. Granite rubble walls. Gable ended corrugated iron and wood shingle roof. Two granite stacks. Longhouse plan of shippon to right with through passage, hall and inner room to its left. Shippon still in use as a calves house at time of 2019 assessment.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II*) 1305883: OLD PIZWELL FARMHOUSE

Other References/Statuses

• National Buildings Record: 54481?
• National Monuments Record: 914279
• National Monuments Record: SX56SW51?
• National Monuments Record: SX67NE68
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 528068?
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX67NE/41
• Old Listed Building Ref (II*): 92786

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• LONGHOUSE (Built, XIII to XIX - 1300 AD? (Between) to 1899 AD (Between))

Full description

Everett, A. W., 3116z/33 (Record Office Collection). SDV216805.

A plan of Pizwell dated c.1960 is among A. W. Everett's drawings in Devon Record Office (Devon Heritage Centre, Exeter).

Gover, J. E. B. + Mawer, A. + Stenton, F. M., 1931, The Place-Names of Devon: Part One, 196 (Monograph). SDV1312.

Documented frequently from 1260 to 1578.

Brown, T., 1961, Tales of a Dartmoor Village: Some Preliminary Notes on the Folklore of Postbridge, 196 (Article in Serial). SDV238060.

Gawne, E., 1970, Field Patterns in Widecombe Parish and the Forest of Dartmoor, 51 (Article in Serial). SDV238056.

The farm is first mentioned in documentary sources in 1260.

Jones, S. R., 1971, Devonshire Farmhouses. Part III. Moorland and Non-Moorland Long-Houses, 40-42 (Article in Serial). SDV338987.

(1971) The rectangular plan of this farmhouse has been enlarged by later additions and by heightening. It is one of three long houses forming a small settlement - the nucleus of an estate farmed in common probably. Altered in the 19th century to produce near symmetrical frontage from the line of the cross passage to parlour gable - enlarged parlour with front door leading in to it, general heightening of house-part and new fenestration throughout. A stair turret adjoining the central chimney stack was probably removed then. In the shippen the cross-passage remained open at each end and was flanked on its west side by the chimney stack serving the hall. Entry to the hall was by a door having a wooden frame with a shouldered head, typically 16th century. Space was created within the corner of the hall for a ladder stair - similar stair position at Hill, Loxhore (Alcock, TDA, 1968, p.24) and at Chapple Gidleigh (Alcock, TDA,1969, p.87). The back of the chimney, against which the doorframe abutted was of large, squared and well coursed granite-blocks, and the remainder of this wall of rubble.
On the other side of the cross-passage and set above a low cob wall, was an uppercruck truss, sole remnant of the 16th century roof to the shippen - a parallel example survived at Park Town, Walkhampton (SX547732). There is evidence of a separate entrance for cattle. A low porch protecting the southern end of the passage probably is associated with the destroyed stair turret, access to which seems to have been by the door to the hall (unusual position for a stair). One large hollow chamfered ceiling-beam in the hall with stepped stops, and a section of thick wall, having the wide splay of a former window opening, are part of the 16th century long-house. At first floor level only the roof purlins and well squared common rafters over the cross passage survive. Dairy and stable probably date from the 19th century reconstruction.

Alcock, N. W., 1981, Cruck Construction: An Introduction and Catalogue, 113 (Report - non-specific). SDV342504.

Short curved feet cruck recorded (citing S. R. Jones).

Department of Environment, 1987, Lydford, 26 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV266265.

Old Pizwell Farmhouse. Unoccupied farmhouse, in partial use as farm building. Circa early 16th century, partially rebuilt and extended in 19th century. Granite rubble walls. Gable ended corrugated iron and wood shingle roof. Two granite stacks.
Longhouse plan of shippon to right with through passage, hall and inner room to its left. Possibly the building was originally open to the roof with a central hearth in the hall but there is no direct evidence of this. This building is one of three early longhouses forming a very traditional moorland hamlet which survives in an unaltered form. See List for full details.

Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England, 1987-1993, Duchy Farms Project Survey Visit (Report - Survey). SDV350839.

(13/10/1988) Situated at SX 6684 7844, this is one of a group of three longhouses at Pizwell hamlet. The building was not accessible at the time of the field visit but is unoccupied except for use of the shippon for animals. The N elevation appears to have been renovated recently.
Viewing the southern elevation, shippon is to the right with hall and inner room to the left. The building dates from the early 16thc and was possibly originally open to the roof with a central hearth in the hall: there is, however, no direct evidence of this (1987 DOE listing).
A major re-planning in the 19th century produced the present, near symmetrical south elevation with its heightened house end incorporating new windows and doors (Jones, 1971). Outshuts along the northern elevation are 18th and 19th century (1987 List). Despite these alterations, several early features survive:
Shippon: now single storey but formerly with a loft. The eastern end wall retains four original window slits. The western wall forming one side of the cross passage is of cob, contains a blocked doorway and is surmounted by the only surviving original roof member; a raised cruck with morticed, cracked collar, trenched purlins and triangular strengthening block (1987).
House: the hall preserves its early fireplace and axial chimney stack. Leading from the passage to the hall is a shouldered-head, wooden doorframe; also original (Jones, 1971). There are traces of a newel stair turret adjacent to the central chimney stack (Jones, 1971, List 1987).

Thorp, J., 2019, Barn 6 Old Pizwell, Dartmoor Forest, 15 (Report - Assessment). SDV363769.

Assessment of the former longhouse in May 2019 has concluded Old Pizwell is of great significance on several levels. Although appearing part of an isolated farm, this longhouse like others on Dartmoor was involved with looking after lowlanders cattle as part of a transhumance system of pastoral management and profited from it. Despite 19th century and 20th century alterations the longhouse still preserves good evidence of its probable 14th century origins with high quality vernacular improvements from the 16th century and early 17th century. Furthermore the farmer still uses the medieval shippon as a calves house, so it is commonly occupied by traditional South Devon cattle.
The immediate setting is enhanced by the cobbled yard to south of the longhouse and the capped drain system outside the east end of the longhouse, which author considers unusual and important. The capped drain system may well date back to the late Medieval period.

Historic England, 2021-2022, NRHE to HER website, Accessed 27/09/2021 (Website). SDV364039.

NRHE: 528068, NMR: SX56SW51, NBR: 54481]
Pizwell. Post medieval house, evidence uncertain. This is an NBR record. The building file has been consulted, and has drawings but no locational information and nothing about the current status of the building. Location unknown; marked as Shaugh Prior, but this appears uncorrect.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8254 - Assessment of traditional farm buildings on Dartmoor
• EDV8636 - Lower Pizwell Farm, Duchy Farms Survey
• EDV8637 - Runnage and Higher Pizwell Farm, Duchy Farms Survey
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project
• EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project

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