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Summary

"The Sheepfold" is primarily a yard or enclosure, 50m N-S, by 34m, contained by a strong wall. This is 2.2m high and 0.7m thick and of unusual construction, with upright drill split granite posts set at intervals in the facing and infilled with trimmed and untrimmed moorstones. A further series of granite posts are set 2m inside the N, E, and W walls. These are mostly freestanding, with rebates in their top surfaces, presumably to support roofing timbers for livestock shelters or pens.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Remains of 19th century starch mill and sheep pens known as 'The Sheepfold', associated leat, as well as a section of bronze age reave south-west of Stannon Tor

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX68SW64
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 621522
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX68SW/13

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ENCLOSURE (Constructed, Post Medieval to Early 20th Century - 1540 AD (Between) to 1901 AD (Between))
• HOUSE (Constructed, Post Medieval to Early 20th Century - 1540 AD (Between) to 1901 AD (Between))
• SHEEP FOLD (Post Medieval to XIX - 1540 AD to 1850 AD)
• STARCH MILL (XVIII to XIX - 1800 AD to 1850 AD)

Full description

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV244012.

Des=worksheet in parish file. Vis=27/10/1982(greeves) impressive sheepfold and cottage of c.1800, still in good condition. Consists of large enclosure with drilled stone walls. Granite pillars on west, north and east walls (for supporting lean-to roof?). Remains of small dwelling at south end of enclosure, 9 by 4m. May have been larger, as there are two large blocked windows in the outer face of the south wall. Enclosure subdivided in its eastern half. Enclosure east of sheepfold has ridge and furrow as does a small enclosure attached to the south of sheepfold (worksheet).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV244013.

Des=dnp survey drawing 1:10560/(-/10/1982)/in lydford parish file.

Crossing, W., 1912 (1965), Crossing's Guide to Dartmoor, 476 (Monograph). SDV320981.

Scotch sheepfold; a cottage on the south side of a large courtyard with stone pens. Post-Medieval.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1995, 4365-6 (Aerial Photograph). SDV224714.

Brown, T., 1961, Tales of a Dartmoor Village: Some Preliminary Notes on the Folklore of Postbridge, 209 pl.16, 17 (Article in Serial). SDV238060.

Linehan, C. D., 1965, Deserted Sites on Dartmoor, Devon, 173 (Article in Serial). SDV217992.

The remains of a starch factory. A scotch farmer used to fold his sheep in the ruins in winter. At one end of the enclosure are the remains of a cottage with two pointed windows. The raw material for starch production was potatoes grown in local lazy beds.

Haynes, R. G., 1966-1969, Ruined Sites on Dartmoor, 125 (Un-published). SDV150434.

Hemery, E., 1983, High Dartmoor, 496-7 (Monograph). SDV249702.

Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, 1985, Aerial Photograph Project (Dartmoor) - Dartmoor Pre-NMP (Cartographic). SDV319854.

Building set within three small rectangular fields visible on RAF 1947 aerila photograph.

Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England, 1987-1993, Duchy Farms Project Survey Visit, S. Probert (Report - Survey). SDV350839.

(08/02/19989) "The Sheepfold" is primarily a yard or enclosure, 50m N-S, by 34m, contained by a strong wall. This is 2.2m high and 0.7m thick and of unusual construction, with upright drill split granite posts set at intervals in the facing and infilled with trimmed and untrimmed moorstones. A further series of granite posts are set 2m inside the N, E, and W walls. These are mostly freestanding, with rebates in their top surfaces, presumably to support roofing timbers for livestock shelters or pens.
Much of the S side of the enclosure is occupied by a roofless cottage of three rooms, 11m long E to W by 3.5m. Granite framed windows which pierced the S wall of the enclosure are now blocked with stone.
There are no specific structures that can be identified with starch making and the venture seems to have been short lived. Hemery (auth 2) suggests that it corresponded with the failure of potato growing, the basic requirement.
Two small patches of spade rig are visible at The Sheepfold, one to the NE and the other within a semi-circular bank against the southern face of the yard. Both are more likely to be gardens associated with the later occupancy by the shepherd.
Hemery notes that a nearby spring was the source of water and that no leat served the building. There is a leat, however, (SX 68 SW 72) but this seems designed to take water from the establishment.

Ordnance Survey, 2013, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV350786.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8648 - Middle Merripit Farm, Duchy Farms Survey
• EDV8650 - Great Stannon Newtake, Duchy Farms Survey
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project
• EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project

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