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Summary

Site of Great Moor Farmhouse. It was an L-shaped building principally of late 16th and 17th century dates but with some later alterations. The house originally had one room open to the roof, probably with an open hearth. It was demolished after a fire in the late 1970s.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX99SE14
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX99SE/27
• Old Listed Building Ref (II*)
• Pastscape: 448294

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FARMHOUSE (Built, XVI to XVII - 1501 AD (Between) to 1700 AD (Between)) + Sci.Date

Full description

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

Great Moor Farm comprising an L-shaped farmhouse at the south-west corner of a broadly square yard with ranges of buildings on the north, east and south sides; the entrance on the south side . A detached open-fronted linhay is shown to the south-east and another small building in the south-west corner of a garden or paddock to the west of the house.

Department of Environment, 1949, St Thomas RD, 105 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV336476.

Alcock, N. W., 1962, Houses in an East Devon Parish, 195-201; Figures 6,8,10; Plate 8 (Article in Serial). SDV130158.

Great Moor Farm. The house originally had one room open to the roof, probably with an open hearth against the west wall. The main block is of the mid-16th century. It has been altered by raising the floor levels and adding an annexe wing in the mid-17th century; it was also extensively redecorated in the late 17th century. Externally the east end is of ashlar heavitree stonework to the base of the windows and running up in two chimneys and the stair turret. There is cob above the stone, except for the west chimney which is of brick. Internally the west end is mainly of the first phase. The eastern beam in the kitchen rests on posts, the continuation of the truss above it, and it has stepped stops. The west beam has a draw stop at one end. The cross passage has had one wall and the stairs to the room over the porch removed by the present owners. The west wall of the hall has two beams, a moulded one and a simple chamfered one marking the early ceiling. In the centre is a large beam, chamfered but unstopped. The east wall is of stud and panelling; the studs are mason's-morticed into the head beam and have roll stops. The remains of red and black decoration are on the wall. The ceiling of the parlour is a magnificent piece of plasterwork. The blocked east window has an ovolo frame; the door frame at the foot of the stairs and the double one at its head have ovolo mouldings. The two windows in the stair turret have lintels with chamfers and draw stops. The banisters are turned and may be original. The two eastern bedrooms have moulded plaster cornices and bolection moulded fireplaces. There is an attractive 'sun' face with two winged cherubs' heads in one end. The attic had a gable window and was divided into several rooms, but it was removed in the 19th century when the roof was replaced and its pitch lowered. Two jointed cruck trusses were open and another was closed: this may be an upper cruck of the angled type. There is a plaster lining under the thatch. There is heavy smoke-blackening on this lining and on one side of the closed and open trusses. The door-post of the room beside the west chimney is chamfered with a draw stop and an original hinge. The annexe contains five original windows and odd timber fragments of walling and beams. Two doors with true mortices and scroll stops may form part of a screen-partition. One wall is of stud and daub construction. There is an unusual door frame with draw stops on the rear side of its posts (alcock, 1962).

Laithwaite, M., 1971, Middle Moor, Sowton. A Re-assessment, 77-83 (Article in Serial). SDV127733.

Alcock, N. W. + Laithwaite, M., 1973, Medieval houses in Devon and Their Modernisation, 121; Plan (Article in Serial). SDV25027.

Alcock, N. W., 1975, Fields and Farms in an East Devon Parish, 104,142,143; Map 3 (Article in Serial). SDV130126.

There is documentary evidence for the farm from the 16th to 18th centuries, Great Moor was originally the family farm in the Moor Lane area and was held by the Lye family from 1565.

Department of Environment, 1977, Sowton: Addendum (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV127736.

L-shaped building principally of late 16th and 17th century dates but with some later alterations. The main, east block dates from the late 16th century, it was altered with raised floor levels, an annexe wing and stair turrets in the mid 17th century and extensively redecorated at the very end of the 17th century. Built of cob on a plinth of Heavitree stone. Modern roof coverings, but the structure retains three jointed crucks at the west end, the east end has a mid 19th century roof of a lower pitch. Two storeys. 19th century casement windows, but mostly with original lintels etc. Internally. Three external chimneys of stone and brick. Typical mid 17th century gabled porch with room over on wooden pillars. Internally there are important features. The kitchen, once open has an inserted 17th century floor and chimney. The hall has a fine oak portion wall with the parlour, which itself has a very fine plaster ceiling of circa 1690. The cross passage has had the e partition removed. The staircase is mid 17th century with turned balusters. The east bedroom has good plasterwork with a sun of fine quality over the fireplace; there are other original features and more may be hidden.

Devon County Council, 1978, Archaeology in Devon: News of Recent Excavations, 1, Photo (Leaflet). SDV354892.

1979, Great Moor House, Film 369/9-13 (Ground Photograph). SDV127729.

Photographs of excavations.

Henderson, C., 1980, Great Moor Farm, Sowton, 12-13 (Article in Serial). SDV127725.

In 1978 the building was burnt down. In 1979 it was excavated by exeter museums field unit for dcc. The first phase was a single storey cob building 10.4m by 5.6m, probably end 15th or early 16th century. Later in the 16th century an extension was added. Further enlargements followed and by the 18th century the house was greatly enlarged.

Henderson, C., 1980, Untitled Source, 4-5, plan (Article in Serial). SDV127726.

Alcock, N. W., 1981, Cruck Construction: An Introduction and Catalogue, 111 (Report - non-specific). SDV342504.

Jointed cruck recorded.

Timms, S., 1981, Great Moor House, Sowton (Personal Comment). SDV366535.

The 17th century plasterwork showing a sun face and cherubs was salvaged after the fire. It has been professionally restored and was deposited by the County Council in Exeter Museum in march 1981. The walls of the farmhouse up to about 1m high were left standing after the fire and may form part of an amenity area on the Sowton Industrial Estate.

Griffith, F. M., 1988, DAP/JS, 10a-12 (Aerial Photograph). SDV346553.

Leverett, M. + Manning, P. + Allan, J., 2011, A Guide to the Archives of Archaeological Projects Carried Out In Exeter, 1970-90: Part I, 3 (Report - non-specific). SDV347114.

Leverett, M. + Manning, P. + Allan, J., 2011, A Guide to the Archives of Archaeological Projects Carried Out In Exeter, 1970-90: Part II, 30 (Report - non-specific). SDV347115.

Location and description of primary material relating to building recording prior to demolition, and excavation after demolition in 1979. Publication of report in progress. Other details: EA site no 401.

Alcock, N. + Allan, J. + Miles, D., 2012, Radiocarbon Dates List 3 (Article in Serial). SDV357413.

This substantial farm was demolished in 1978 following a fire, and Exeter Archaeology carried out detailed building recording and excavation of the site. Its full development has been established, from the original small house built on a new site in about 1510 to a substantial farm with three-room plan, including a large parlour, by the end of the seventeenth century. The roof trusses are of jointed-cruck form. Tree-ring dating samples were taken in 1978 but could not be matched. Radiocarbon dating on two elm timbers has now given final ring dates of 1457–1513 and 1484–1523. For the oak sample, the radiocarbon determination gives a final ring date range of cal AD 1469–1504. See article for full details.

Thorp, J. R. L. + Alcock, N., 2019, Great Moor Farm, Sowton, Devon: the recording and excavation of a 16th- and 17th-century farmhouse (Article in Serial). SDV366536.

Great Moor was one of a number of farms bought in the late 1960s to provide land for the Sowton Industrial Estate and by 1977 was the last surviving farmhouse there. A survey was commissioned of the building but it was destroyed by fire before the survey was complete. The house was excavated in 1979. It thus provided a unique opportunity to study the development of a Devon farmhouse through a combination of fabric recording, excavation and documentary research (the group of farm buildings to the north-east were not recorded in any detail before demolition and were not excavated).
The house was shown to have a complex structural history. It originated as a hall house in the early 16th century and was subsequently improved and enlarged to become a relatively large and comfortable house by c.1700. Its development coincided with a prosperous period for Devon farmers and with the evolution of the medieval house to the modern house.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV127725	Article in Serial: Henderson, C.. 1980. Great Moor Farm, Sowton. Archaeology in Devon 1979. A4 Single Sheet + Digital. 12-13.
SDV127726	Article in Serial: Henderson, C.. 1980. Devon Archaeological Society Newsletter. February 1980. 4-5, plan.
SDV127729	Ground Photograph: 1979. Great Moor House. Conservation Section Photograph Collection. Photograph (Paper). Film 369/9-13.
SDV127733	Article in Serial: Laithwaite, M.. 1971. Middle Moor, Sowton. A Re-assessment. Transactions of the Devonshire Association. A5 Paperback. 77-83.
SDV127736	List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest: Department of Environment. 1977. Sowton: Addendum. Historic Houses Register. Unknown.
SDV130126	Article in Serial: Alcock, N. W.. 1975. Fields and Farms in an East Devon Parish. Transactions of the Devonshire Association. 107. A5 Paperback. 104,142,143; Map 3.
SDV130158	Article in Serial: Alcock, N. W.. 1962. Houses in an East Devon Parish. Transactions of the Devonshire Association. 94. A5 Hardback. 195-201; Figures 6,8,10; Plate 8.
SDV25027	Article in Serial: Alcock, N. W. + Laithwaite, M.. 1973. Medieval houses in Devon and Their Modernisation. Medieval Archaeology. 17. Digital. 121; Plan.
SDV325644	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1904 - 1906. Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital). [Mapped feature: #145032 ]
SDV336476	List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest: Department of Environment. 1949. St Thomas RD. Historic Houses Register. Unknown. 105.
SDV342504	Report - non-specific: Alcock, N. W.. 1981. Cruck Construction: An Introduction and Catalogue. Council for British Archaeology Research Report. 42. Photocopy + Digital. 111.
SDV346553	Aerial Photograph: Griffith, F. M.. 1988. DAP/JS. Devon Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 10a-12.
SDV347114	Report - non-specific: Leverett, M. + Manning, P. + Allan, J.. 2011. A Guide to the Archives of Archaeological Projects Carried Out In Exeter, 1970-90: Part I. Exeter Archaeology Report. 11.26. A4 Grip Bound. 3.
SDV347115	Report - non-specific: Leverett, M. + Manning, P. + Allan, J.. 2011. A Guide to the Archives of Archaeological Projects Carried Out In Exeter, 1970-90: Part II. Exeter Archaeology Report. 11.26. A3 Grip Bound + Digital. 30.
SDV354892	Leaflet: Devon County Council. 1978. Archaeology in Devon: News of Recent Excavations. Archaeology in Devon. A2 Folded + Digital. 1, Photo.
	Linked images:3
SDV357413	Article in Serial: Alcock, N. + Allan, J. + Miles, D.. 2012. Radiocarbon Dates List 3. Vernacular Architecture. 43. Digital.
SDV366535	Personal Comment: Timms, S.. 1981. Great Moor House, Sowton. Digital.
SDV366536	Article in Serial: Thorp, J. R. L. + Alcock, N.. 2019. Great Moor Farm, Sowton, Devon: the recording and excavation of a 16th- and 17th-century farmhouse. Post-Medieval Archaeology. 53.2. Digital.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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