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Summary

Barn recorded in 1970s and thought to date to the 18th century. Associated with late 19th century umber works. Survives throughout the 20th century before being altered after 2000 and is shown on recent maps and aerial photos as a much larger building with replacement roof. Unclear whether any original fabric of the bank barn survives.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Dartmoor Non-designated Heritage Asset (Historical)
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX65NE/107

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BANK BARN (Constructed, XVII to XVIII - 1700 AD? to 1799 AD (Between))

Full description

South West Heritage Trust, 1838-1848, Digitised Tithe Maps and Transcribed Apportionments, Ugborough: 1067 (Cartographic). SDV359954.

Barn is depicted on the Tithe Map, as an L-shaped structure, divided into three rectangular sections. Plot number 1067. Monksmoor Estate; 'Court, Barn and Road etc.'

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

Torrs Barn. The late 19th century historic map shows a large rectangular building, divided into two (long ways), with two separate additional structures to the north. 'Umber Works (Disused)' recorded on the map.

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

Torrs Barn. The early 20th century historic map shows only the north-western part of the building surviving and no depiction of the umber works.

Gaskell-Brown, C. + Hankin, C., 1975, Monksmoor Farm, Torrs Barn, 1975? (estimate) (Worksheet). SDV161289.

Monksmoor Farm, Torrs Barn. Situated about 45 metres eat of Leigh Lane; 180 metres up from Leigh Cross.
A fine 'bank barn', stone built, with two storeys, gable roof, slate. Covered drain outside one end. Ground floor door has massive untrimmed oak lintel, stump of branch showing on upper side. The ends of beams show through the wall on both sides of the doorway. The side walls extend beyond the front wall to a distance of 3.65 metres, the top of these extensions following the same line as the roof. Barn is built into a bank, access to the upper floor being through a door approached by the path from the road.
Barn is believed to be 200 years old (18th century).

GetMapping, 1999 - 2000, Dartmoor 1999-2000 1:1250 Aerial Photography (digital) (Aerial Photograph). SDV345751.

The aerial photograph (and those dating to the 1940s) show the barn much as the Second Edition Ordnance Survey map; narrow north-western part of the building apparently remains in use, while section immediately south-east no longer in existence.

Bluesky, 2006 - 2007, Bluesky aerial photographs 2006 - 2007 (Aerial Photograph). SDV341189.

2006 aerial shows a modern replacement building on the site of the barn; takes up roughly the same footprint as the late 19th century map depiction of the old barn. Unclear whether any of the original barn remains.

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

Torrs Barn is shown on the modern mapping. Large, almost square building, subdivided into two sections. The north-westerly part may retain fabric of the old barn.

Pratt, N., 2018, Torrs Barn (Un-published). SDV360694.

Description of significance:
Barn and Umber Works, probably pre-1840s. Isolated building of three parts, shown on 1840 Tithe Map. By 1st ed. OS shown as Umber Works (disused) with shafts approximately 40 metres to west and name ‘Torrs Barn’. There is a horseshoe-shaped enclosure and other structures depicted to north-east. (Value: evidential, historic, communal and aesthetic).

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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