MEM23736 - Halsgrove Farm, Withypool (Building)

A farmstead is shown on the Tithe Map for Withypool. This includes a domestic building at SS 8438 3668 and farm buildings arranged around a rectangular yard at SS 8438 3671. The group of buildings are together labelled 93, with two small enclosures to the north and east labelled 94 and 95 respectively and a further parcel directly to the south of the domestic building labelled 96. The accompanying Apportionment lists these land parcels as: 93 - "House and Barton", 94 - "Mow Barton" (Pasture), 95 - "Great Garden" (Garden) and 96 - "Little Garden" (Garden). All were owned by William Cockbourne and occupied by John Thorne. [1] The site is shown in a similar arrangement on the 1st and 2nd Edition Ordnance Survey maps, save that the larger enclosure known as the Great Garden appears to have been removed by this point and a small outbuilding constructed at c. SS 8440 3673. One of the buildings within the main farm area, to the east of the yard, has had a small extension built on its eastern side. A well is also marked on the 1st Edition map at c. SS 8438 3669, although this is not shown on the 2nd Edition document. [2,3] Modern MasterMap data shows that the farmhouse has been extended to the east since the 2nd Edition map was surveyed and some of the buildings have been demolished, including an L shaped range that made up the southwestern corner of the yard at SS 8437 3669 and the newer outbuilding at c. SS 8440 3673. The latter appears to have been removed to facilitate the construction of a larger building and there are further larger modern agricultural buildings to the northeast of the site. The garden to the south of the farmhouse appears to have been extended to the south. [4] The site was viewed from a distance in February 1997 as part of the Exmoor Farmsteads survey. The house was thought to be old but the remainder of the site appeared to be in use for horse accommodation. A largeish 20th Century shed was noted to be adjacent to the site. [5]