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Summary

Remains of a post-medieval pound house associated with the adjacent manor house.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1020875: Kingskerswell Manor House

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX86NE/46/2
• Old SAM Ref: 34450
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX86NE 8

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CIDER HOUSE (Built, Late Medieval - 1401 AD to 1539 AD (Between))

Full description

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

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

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1952, SX86NE 8 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV339029.

Other details: Plan.

Gallant, L., 1978 - 1979, Pound House (Worksheet). SDV343616.

Visited on 27th February and 5th March in 1978. Poundhouse in Foredown Farm Orchard. situated adjacent to churchyard, in orchard that once formed the grounds of the ancient manor house. South and east walls form part of present churchyard boundary. Within the rectangular walled area are two parallel buildings with an open courtyard between. Northern building is divided into two rooms. On west side, facing orchard, an entrance (2.3 metres) gives into "crushing room". Another entrance, width unknown, also gives into "crushing room" on north side. Small window in south wall of "crushing room" looks into courtyard. In "crushing room" is evidence of two storeys. Max height of wall now 3.5 metres. In "crushing room" were found two cylindrical granite rollers used for crushing apples. Each had diameter of 0.38 metres and length of 0.4 metres. An iron axle going through each. On one, the axle at least 1.0 metre long, with iron attachment on the long end, and a bit of wooden framework attached to other end. Wood much decayed and worn away. Mention of a "poundehouse" for making cider in 1566. Not known whether this is the same as our present building or its predecessor, but its central position in the older part of the village makes it likely. The Tithe Map shows it to have the same layout as at present, though it was then in working order. Other details: Sketch plan.

Turton, S. D., 1991, Archaeological Assessment of Land Adjacent to St. Mary's Church, Kingskerswell, 3-4 (Report - Assessment). SDV306167.

Limestone structure situated in decayed orchard which once formed the grounds of the ancient manor house. Possibly the cider 'powndehouse' mentioned in 1566 survey. Title Map shows it to have been working in 1841. Brief survey of 1952 suggests it may have been one of the original outbuildings attached to the manor house. Comprised 2 parallel buildings with open courtyard between, set within rectangular walled area, the south and east walls farming part of present churchyard boundary. The northern building was divided into 2 rooms, one containing 2 cylindrical granite rollers with iron axles, used for crushing apples. Now overgrown with trees and brambles, the surviving walls are 2-3 metres high. Blocked entrance in east wall. Less masonry now visible than in 1952.

Reed, S. J. + Turton, S. D., 1992, Archaeological Recording on Land Adjacent to St Mary's Church Kingskerswell, 4 (Report - Evaluation). SDV343617.

Other details: Figure 3.

Gerrard, S., 2002, Kingskerswell Manor House, 156934 (Un-published). SDV339034.

Despite partial excavation and some robbing, Kingskerswell Manor House and associated pound house survive comparatively well and will contain archaeological and architectural information relating to their construction and occupation through the later part of the medieval and early part of the post-medieval periods.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 2003, Kingskerswell Manor House (Schedule Document). SDV339042.

A short distance east of the manor house is the pound house which originally comprised two parallel buildings separated by an open courtyard. The northern building is subdivided into two rooms and in one of these there once stood granite rollers used for crushing apples. The largest room in this building measures 10.2 metres long by 5.6 metres wide and is denoted by a substantial limestone wall. The northern wall of the southern building is no longer visible but may survive as a buried feature. This building is originally thought to have measured 13.8 metres long by 5.3 metres wide and the remaining three walls stand up to about 3 metres high. The courtyard between the buildings measures 13.8 metres long by 7.8 metres wide. A "powndehouse" is mentioned in a survey of the manor in 1566 and it is considered very likely that at least some of the surviving buildings date to or before this time

Southwest Archaeology, 2007, Kingskerswell Manor House: Archaeological Assessment (Report - Assessment). SDV339039.

English Heritage, 2009, Heritage at Risk Register 2009: South West, 112 (Report - non-specific). SDV342694.

Extensive significant problems. Principal vulnerability collapse.

Ordnance Survey, 2009, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV341569.

English Heritage, 2010, Heritage at Risk Register 2010: South West, 105 (Report - non-specific). SDV344777.

Meaton, C, 2019, Kingskerswell Manor House, Kingskerswell, Devon: Condition Survey and Costed Management Actions, 5, 20, 25, 57-62, 76 (Report - Survey). SDV363568.

Condition survey undertaken of the remains of the Pound House as part of an overall assessment of the manor house. The pound house is a post-medieval building used for making cider and is now located within the churchyard of St Mary's, adjacent to the site of the manor house. It originally comprised two parallel buildings with a courtyard between. The northern building was subdivided into two rooms but only westerly survives as upstanding walls. An apple crusher formerly stood in one of the rooms. Three sides of the southern building survive, the south-west elevation now marking the modern church boundary
A 'powndehouse' is documented in a survey of the manor from 1566, suggesting that at least one of the surviving buildings dates from this time.
The survey assessed the Pound House to be in fair condition, having been previously conserved.
See report for full details.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4275 - Archaeological assessment of Kingskerswell Manor House
• EDV8253 - Condition survey of Kingskerswell Manor House

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