MMO585 - Post-medieval linhay with associated water meadow at Howtown Farm (Monument)

The remains of a post-medieval linhay are visible as an earthwork enclosure, a probable building platform and a pond. To the southwest a possible water meadow associated with the linhay is visible on aerial photographs taken in 1964.

Aerial photographs show building remains and a bank making a small enclosure. [1,2] The earthwork remains of an enclosure 18 by 5 metres with a probable building platform at the northwestern end, together with the remains of a pond 15 by 12 metres lie at SS 9336 3346. The field evidence suggests a barn with associated enclosure and pond for stock. The building, enclosure and pond are not depicted on the tithe map of 1838, but the names of the adjacent fields are "Linhay Close" and Lower Linhay Close". They were worked by John How, probably from nearby HowTown Farm [5]. The enclosure and pond are shown on the Ordnance Survey 1st Edition map of 1889 [6]. The remains of the enclosure and the pond are recorded on the current large scale mapping of the area [7]. This cartographic and documentary evidence suggested a linhay, worked from Howton Farm, which fell into disuse sometime before 1838. [8] Immediately to the southwest of the enclosure and pond is a small system of field drains, possible part of a water meadow system associated with the linhay. These features are visible on vertical aerial photographs of the area. [9-10] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [11]