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Summary

Former farmstead, visible on early 19th century map as Lotham, since expanded and now known as Westacott. Documentary evidence dates the farm to at least the 17th century.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: ND

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FARMSTEAD (XVI to XVII - 1600 AD (Between) to 1699 AD (Between))

Full description

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

Buildings visible on map as Lotham. Tithe apportionment numbers 378 (house and court), 377 (mowplot), 376 (garden), 380 (garden), and 381 (house and court).

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

Small changes are apparent with the addition of some small outbuildings when compared to the early 19th century map. Now named Spurland.

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

Minimal changes to the layout and no apparent additional buildings. Still known as Spurland. Field boundary behind largest building no longer visible, previously a garden and mowplot on tithe apportionment.

Gover, J. E. B. + Mawer, A. + Stenton, F. M., 1931, The Place-Names of Devon: Part One, 84 (Monograph). SDV1312.

Child, P., 2000, Countryside Stewardship: Westacott, Abbotsham, Bideford (Correspondence). SDV366741.

Two buildings on the east side of the farmyard to the south of the farmhouse comprise a threshing barn and a shippon built of local ruble stone with slate roofs. Both are mid or late 19th century in date although the barn shows evidence of incorporating an earlier structure. The threshing barn has a lrage wagon door facing the yard with a narrower door to the rear. The threshing floor is of Petersmarlands buff brick. A stone-built lean-to has been added to the yard side of the barn which, according to the landowner, is known as the 'meal house'. To the rear of the barn is a rectangular horse engine house. There is a modern, blockwork milking parlour to the north.
On the south side of the barn is a lofted shippon with four doors to the yard and a loading door above.

Collings, A. G. + Manning, P. T. + Valentin, J., 2007, The North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Phase 1. Archaeological Survey. Summary Report, 2460 (Report - Assessment). SDV339712.

The present Westacott includes the holdings of Loatham (named on tithe map) and Spurland, a name first recorded as Spireland in 1616. There may therefore be at least one other farmstead site in the vicinity (citing Lomas 1956, 47 and Gover et al. 1931, 84).

Ordnance Survey, 2018, MasterMap 2018 (Cartographic). SDV360652.

Changes to layout and additional buildings are visible. Buildings now named Westacott. Some buildings shown on 1830-1840s tithe map are still present. The shippon described by P. Child to the south of the barn is now ruinous.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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