See important guidance on the use of this record.

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

Summary

West Gooseford farmstead dates to the 17th century, based on the age of the farmhouse. Included in Dartmoor Historic farmstead survey, it was visited in 1995 and recorded. Depicted variously on the historic maps as 'East Gooseford' farm but has also been referred to as 'West Gooseford'. Bodman records early hydro-electric plant generating electricity here; part of the water wheel survives. Millpond also remains to the east of Lower Gooseford.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FARMSTEAD (Constructed, XVI to XVII - 1575 AD (Between) to 1699 AD (Between))
• WATER WHEEL (Constructed, XIX to Mid 20th Century - 1850 AD (Between) to 1959 AD (Between))

Full description

South West Heritage Trust, 1838-1848, Digitised Tithe Maps and Transcribed Apportionments, Plot 351 (Cartographic). SDV359954.

Depicted on the Tithe Map; farmhouse as surviving, with additional barn building to south shown.

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

Late 19th century historic map shows site at East Gooseford with the building layout now as surviving. Horse engine house shown on the western side of the barn building south of the house. Linhay and stable now depicted.

Ordnance Survey, 1904 - 1906, Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV325644.

Farm unchanged on the early 20th century historic map depiction, which labels the site 'West Gooseford'.

Gover, J. E. B. + Mawer, A. + Stenton, F. M., 1932, The Place-Names of Devon: Part Two, 451 (Monograph). SDV337894.

'Gooseford' is recorded in documents dating to 1249 as 'Goseford' and again in 1254.

McKay, K., 1994 - 1997, Dartmoor National Park Authority Farmstead Survey 1994-1997 (Report - Survey). SDV344544.

SX 676 918 West Gooseford farmstead included in survey. Visited on 14/11/1995. Farmhouse (17th century with earlier origins) to north of site, 18th century barn to south of dwelling, linhay (18th century) and stable (mid-19th century) to west and east sides of the site to south respectively.

Bodman, M., 2015, Mills on the Teign. A gazetteer of water-powered sites on the Teign and Bovey and their tributaries, 76 (Monograph). SDV360401.

West Gooseford Farm, South Tawton SX 6760 9169 Overshot wheel generating electricity here was powered by a tributary of the Blackaton Brook (subsidiary of the Teign) and a millpond with a stone-built wall survives at Lower Gooseford (MDV14437). A high stone launder carried water to the wheel, which may have been 24ft in diameter with wooden buckets and sole and ten pairs of arms. Wheel said to have been cut up in the 1950s. Only the shaft and nave survive with some shroud fragments in the pit. Image included of the nave and millpond. It is thought to have been one of the earlier hydro-electric plants on Dartmoor. Documents from 1853 give no evidence of water power in use at this time. The remains suggest unusually substantial investment.

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

Modern mapping labels site 'Gooseford Farm'. Layout appear unchanged since the Second Edition OS map, although modern buildings have been added to the south-east of the farm.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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