MSO10534 - Leigh Barton Farmhouse, Roadwater (Building)

A grange of Cleeve Abbey by the 16th Century. The farmhouse is late medieval and was enlarged in 1627, being mainly rebuilt in 1811. The south wing was formerly a private chapel, whose first chaplain was the martyr Dom Philip Powel.

(ST 02513585) Leigh Barton (NAT). [1] Grange of Cleeve Abbey, now farmhouse. Late medieval in origin, enlarged 1627, majority rebuilt 1811. Rendered over rubble, steeply pitched slate roof, moulded cornice, stone stacks gable ends and to right of entrance, latter said to be dated 1811. Courtyard plan. Between circa 1609 and 1691 Leigh Barton was occupied by the Roman Catholic Poyntz family who had a resident chaplain. One of these chaplains, Philip Powel was later martyred at Tyburn in 1646 during the Civil War. It is thought that the annexe provided accommodation for the resident chaplain, though there is an alternative suggestion that it housed 2 female relatives of the builder, Giles Poyntz, who wished to live in religious seclusion. More information on DEM2960. [2] English Heritage Listed Building Number: 264874. First Listed on 21/12/1984. [3] Stone, Render walls. Gabled roof [4] Leigh Barton was a grange of Cleeve Abbey by the 16th Century. It was let by the abbot in 1527. [6] The building was visited as part of the rapid condition survey of Exmoor's Listed Buildings 2012-13. It received a BAR score of 5. [7] A disused chamber, now in an adjacent farm building but built as a Roman Catholic chapel, contains a grotesque frieze, damaged and part missing below the flat part of a three sided barrel. It includes urns with floral arabesques and dates from c.1630. [8] The house was built by Giles Poyntz, but was apparently mostly demolished in 1809 "to be replaced by an attractive dwelling with a classical porch of yellow Ham stone". A huge kitchen is in a detached block to the rear with a well under the flagstone floor, a stone copper for beer brewing, ancient oak beams and iron studded oak doors. Outside is a red stone chimney stack with a datestone inscribed 1627 and GP, A (Giles and Agnes Poyntz, nee Risdon), and two others. Giles' grandfather Edward is buried in St George's Church, Dunster at the east end of the north aisle. In the early 17th Century it was apparently the centre of "an island of faith" of a small company of Catholics strewn across Exmoor and the Quantock and Brendon Hills who would come here to hear mass in the chapel (forbidden at that time). Agnes brought with her a Catholic chaplain named Dom Philip Powel, a Welshman also known by his mother's name of Morgan. He later left during the Civil War, but was betrayed to the Parliamentarians whilst on a boat to Wales and was later executed. Giles Poyntz forfeited four fifths of his estate, restored 20 years later (shortly before his death) by Charles II. Catholic chaplains served the chapel until about 1803. It has a slate floor from the estate's quarry and a little dais at the west end where the altar stood, with a heavy door behind opening into a stone floored sacristry with a recess for the sacred vessels (originally carefully concealed). The final chaplain, Philip Compton, died aged 69 in Dunster. The chapel was in later times used as a barn. The article contains photographs of the interior. [9] The author stayed at the house in 1937. The house was lit with Tilley lights downstairs and candles upstairs. The cooker was a Valor Perfection and water was heated with an Ideal boiler, with an adjacent ledge "a splendid restin place for reviving weakling lambs". The old kitchen was part of the house and adjoined the 16th Century chapel. It is described as built of faded red stone, with beams across the ceiling and a stone flagged floor, one stone covering a well. A large copper for brewing beer was in one corner and an adjacent smaller one was for boiling clothes. A large open fireplace, c.3 to 4 feet wide and several deep, was in another corner, with a bread oven on one side built into the wall and iron hooks attached to the brick arch above. [10] The farm was the subject of photographic and architectural recording as part of the RCHME Exmoor project. [11] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [12,13] The building is mentioned in the 2005 Exmoor Farmsteads Conservation Area Character Appraisal. [14] The building is discussed in the 2015 Exmoor Farmsteads Conservation Area Appraisal. [15]