MEM23072 - South Sparhanger (Monument)

In Domesday this area was included with East and West Lyn to form Lina. It was held by William Capra. Before the Conquest it was held by Algar. Some early descents of this estate are given. [1] The farmstead is shown on the Lynton and Lynmouth Tithe Map as a small group of buildings around a yard area. The farmhouse, with northwest facing porch, apparently forms the southeast range of the complex, with a small building sited on the northeast side (at c. SS 7192 4606) and an L shaped building sited in the corner between the southwest and northwest sides, at c. SS 7190 4606. [2] By the time the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map had been drawn, the farm had been expanded slightly and more buildings have been constructed to define the farmyard's extent. The L shaped building may have been incorporated into these newer structures but the small building at roughly SS 7192 4606 appears to have been demolished. A further building has been constructed on the other side of the lane leading past the farmstead on its northwestern side, at SS 7189 4607. There appears to be no changes to the site by the time the 2nd Edition map was surveyed. Since this date, the farmstead has much expanded to the northeast and northwest, although modern mapping suggests most (if not all) of the farmbuildings shown on the 2nd Edition map still appear to be extant. All these later maps show the site to be named as South Sparhanger. [3-5] The farmstead was visited in December 1996 and was described as very important, idiomatic, modest and early. The whitewashed house is described as much altered but obviously early. It is built across the contours of the site and faces onto the yard without a garden. It shows adaptations and rebuilds of several phases. The little yard is apparently composed of 17th or 18th Century small buildings of rubble with slate roofs. The site is surrounded by steep paddocks, which are thought to be ancient. [6]