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Summary

Linhay of probable 18th- or 19th century date.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1389700: FORMER CHAPEL AT FENACRE FARM

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: ST01NE/23/2

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• LINHAY (XVIII to XIX - 1701 AD to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

Child, P., 2002, Fenacre Farm, Burlescombe (Correspondence). SDV347766.

A good example of a Devon linhay. Unlikely to be later than the early 19th century. It is very unusual for a mid-Devon building to have a purlinless roof structure as survives in this one.

Child, P., 2002, Fenacre Farm, Burlescombe (Un-published). SDV55053.

Visited 11th Janury 2002. A seven bay linhay with limestone rubble piers (square at the front and rounded at the back). Corrugated iron roof; in places this covers a thin layer of thatch. Roof structure has no purlins, only large battens for thatch spanning between the trusses which are of the 18th- or early 19th century type with crossed apexes and halved collars nailed and pegged to the rafters. The lower part of the open front has largely been infilled with stone to create separate small animal houses. Modern extension at east end. Map object based on this Source.

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

Map object based on this Source.

Steinmetzer, M., 2015, Historic Building Appraisal at Fenacre, Farm, Burlescombe (Report - Assessment). SDV360057.

Oakford Archaeology were commissioned by Property Plans Southwest Ltd in August 2015 to undertake an archaeological buildings appraisal at the site of Fenacre Farm, Burlescombe, Devon (ST 0696 1784). The archive and documentary research indicates that the site has been in continuous occupation probably since the late 11th century and that the current house was probably laid out in the late-17th century.

The Linhay is a 2-storey structure measuring 32m long, and is aligned north-east/south-west (Fig. 12, Pls. 15-18). It is situated along the north side of the farmyard, with further buildings located to the north and south, one of which was demolished in the 20th century. The building incorporates an enclosed milking parlour at its eastern end, and an open-fronted linhay facing south, with a loft over. Dating to the early 19th century, the linhay is constructed of roughly coursed stone rubble west, north and south walls, with square stone rubble piers.

The south front of the linhay is supported by five piers of stone rubble, each pier extending across the width of the building, at ground-floor level only, to divide the interior into bays. Sockets for horizontal timbers forming a bressumer to the first floor are housed in a rectangular chase in the side face of each pier. The cattle shelters have been blocked at the front to form cow houses, although these walls had collapsed by the time of the site visit. There is no evidence of original furniture in the interior of the linhay. It is clear that there were formerly cattle stalls here although these were of late 19th-century date, and had been largely removed.

The central wall rises to the roof and it is likely that the western layout of 6 bays was mirrored in the eastern half of the linhay. The remains of a stone pier with the low wall removed and a stone pier and wall with a later inserted doorway were located immediately to the east of this. The remaining three piers were removed when the eastern part of the linhay was converted to a fully covered cowshed probably in the late 19th century.

By the late 19th century the eastern half of the linhay was converted to provide a covered livestock shelter and store. The low wall separating bays 7 and 8 was removed, the front of bay 8 was filled in and the low wall partially raised to form an enclosed space. Probably at the same time the remaining three eastern piers were removed and a new south wall built to create a large cowshed or dairy. The building was accessed through a wide doorway and lit by two large windows. A doorway connecting the store and cowshed was inserted in the 20th century when the dairy was rebuilt. The south wall was partially rebuilt, while the western wall raised to the level of the roof with breeze blocks. The building received a new concrete floor with a large drainage channel and feeding troughs at this time. (See report for full details).

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7213 - Historic Building Appraisal at Fenacre Farm, Burlescombe (Ref: 15-10)

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