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Summary

Former 17th century manor house which was converted to a threshing barn in the late 18th, early 19th century. A cider house was also later inserted. Evidence of the former house is particularly visible in the front wall.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1161756: BARN NORTH NORTH WEST OF GREAT TRILL FARMHOUSE
• SHINE: Traditional Listed Building (Grade II) Barn incorporating the remains of a late medieval manor house and other farm buildings at Great Trill Farm

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SY29NE/22/1
• Old Listed Building Ref (II)
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• MANOR HOUSE (Built, XVII - 1650 AD (Between) to 1670 AD (Between))
• THRESHING BARN (XVIII to XIX - 1750 AD (Between) to 1850 AD (Between))
• CIDER HOUSE (XIX - 1801 AD (Between) to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

Department of Environment, 1960, Axminster RD, Provisional list (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV337333.

Great Trill Manor. The barn at Great Trill incorporates the remains of tudor manor house. Rubble built with slate roof. Remains of stone mullioned windows, and doorways with cambered heads.

Department of Environment, 1983, Axminster, 15 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV117703.

Barn north north west of great trill farmhouse. C16 remains of manor house incorporated into circa c18 barn. Long stone rubble building with gable ended slate roof. Cart doors to left of centre. Of the c16 fabric there is a moulded string course which rises over a blocked window with moulded stone frame. At the centre a stone tudor arched doorway, now blocked. In the east gable end a two light ovolo doubled stone mullion window with dripmould. The manor was one of the properties of the drakes of ashe

Pye, A. R. + Turton, S. D., 1989, Historic Landscape Assessment of Five Possible Reservoir Sites in the Axe Valley, East Devon, 12-14 (Report - Assessment). SDV336543.

Clements, H. A., 1994, Survey of Farmsteads in the Devon Part of the Blackdown Hills, Photo and plan (Report - Survey). SDV344050.

18th century barn incorporating a 16th century manor house. Building in fair condition but vulnerable (B.A.R. 3.2.4).

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

Thorpe, J. + Horton, D., 2012, The Barn at Great Trill, Puddleylake Road, Axminster, Devon (Report - Survey). SDV364548.

The barn, which forms the north side of the yard facing the farmhouse, was originally a grand house. Architectural evidence suggests it dates from the 17th century, not the 16th century as previously suggested. It was adapted to agricultural use in the late 18th-early 19th century. By the time of the c.1840 Tithe Map the building looks to have been largely its present form. A recess, however, is shown in the north wall which was subsequently infilled by a cider house, as shown on the 1889 Ordnance Survey Map.
The greater, western, portion of the building is a threshing barn open to the roof with opposing, almost full height double doorways. The eastern end is two storey and includes a cider house which still retains its cider press. It is separated from the main barn by a 17th century cross wall at ground floor level with a 19th century timber stud wall above.
The 17th century house is particularly evident in the front (south wall) which shows it had two windows either side of a central doorway. The use of Beerstone for the quoins, plinth and window frames indicates it was a rather grand house. It is suggested to have been built or rebuilt by John Drake in the 1650s or early 1660s.
The lack of visible remains of fireplaces and evidence for the site of the kitchen is commented upon but it is suggested that the latter was sited at the east end which was rebuilt reusing an original window in the centre of the first floor and that other fireplaces in the principal domestic rooms were quarried for their stone for reuse. The house was reduced in height and the western end widened when it was converted to the barn.
See report for full details.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, Unknown, SY29NE3 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV129805.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4655 - Survey of Farmsteads in the Blackdown Hills
• EDV8740 - Archaeological and historic assessment of the barn at Great Trill Farm, Axminster

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