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Summary

Torhill farmstead, Manaton is thought to be medieval in date, although its modern name is not referred to in medieval tax lists, unlike neighbouring farms. By around 1600 it is thought to have been two farms (due to the presence of two ash houses) but by the early 19th century only one farmstead remained with one ash house.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FARMSTEAD (Early Medieval to XXI - 1066 AD to 2011 AD (Between))

Full description

1840, Tithe Map (Cartographic). SDV339770.

'Torhill' is depicted on the Tithe map and consists of farmhouse depicted red to the south-west of the farmyard. Further farm buildings are shown to the east and north-west of the farmhouse, along the western edge of the farmyard. Two ash houses are depicted towards the eastern side of the farmyard with another small farm building.

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

By the late 19th century, the farmhouse has been altered and is a plain rectangular shape. Alterations have also taken place to the farm buildings around the farmhouse and only the southern ash house is depicted.

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

In the Second Edition map, the farm buildings to the south-east of the farmhouse are no longer depicted. Some small alterations shown to the farmhouse and barn to the north-west is shown much as exists today. Further narrow range of buildings has been adjoining the eastern end of the barn and extending southwards through the centre of the farmyard.
Circular animal pound depicted for the first time on this map, to the north-west of the farm.

Dartmoor National Park Authority, 1993 - 1997, Dartmoor National Park Authority Farmstead Survey 1993-1997 (Report - Survey). SDV344544.

Farmstead included in survey. Viisted on 18/10/1995.

Waterhouse, R., 2007, Torhill Farm, Manaton, 2-15 (Report - Assessment). SDV347829.

Torhill farmstead, Manaton is thought to be medieval in date, although its modern name is not referred to in medieval tax lists, unlike neighbouring farms. By around 1600 it is thought to have been two farms (due to the presence of two ash houses) but by the early 19th century only one farmstead remained with one ash house. Documentary evidence from the site dating to the 18th century gives owner/occupier details.
Waterhouse states that during the early-mid 17th century, an earlier farmhouse was originally located on the eastern side of the farmyard, south of the ash house. The other building on the eastern side is also thought to date to this period and is said to have been a detatched kitchen; later a shippon with hayloft. In the later 17th century the earlier farmhouse was demolished and replaced with a building on the site of the existing farmhouse. The new house had a traditional three-room and cross passage plan with probably three upper rooms and an attic at the north-eastern end of the house. The house was largely renovated between 1850-1860 with a new lean-to on the north-western side of the house providing further space on the ground and first floor. An internal stair was also built at this time (a previous external stair turret is though to have provided access to the upper floor).
Also at this time a two-storey bank barn and shippon was constructed. Soon afterwards a wing to the east of this was built with a shippon on the ground floor and hayloft above. An open-fronted cart shed was added on the northern side of this building and a horse engine house was constructed on the western side of the bank barn.
In the late 19th / early 20th century major remodelling took place in the farmhouse to the first floor rooms in lean to section and the roof was entirely replaced. Store rooms were added and a new stair. At this time a long low, one and a half storey range of farm buildings was added to the north-east side of the courtyard, enclosing it. Further 20th century alterations took place to the farmhouse. An interesting farmstead with a quadrangle of farm buildings that developed gradually between the 18th and 20th centuries, with a courtyard plan that it unusual in moorland fringe farms. The farmstead is also significant for its surviving ash house (and the fact that it originally had two of the same design; indicating the earlier history of the farm.

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

'Torhill' is depicted on the modern mapping.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV5291 - Assessment of buildings at Torhill, Manaton
• EDV6467 - Watching brief covering demolition of garage and shippon conversion at Torhill Farm, Manaton

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