MEM22093 - Holnicote House, Selworthy (Building)

Shown on the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey Map. [1] The manor at Holnicote is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086. The site shows evidence of four separate manor houses. The gatehouse dates to the early 17th Century house that was destroyed by a fire in 1779. There are also remains of the walls of The Cottage which was destroyed by a fire in 1851. Dendrochronology dates from the gatehouse show that a manor was built at Holnicote between 1493 and 1521. In 1705 the manor was sold to the Blackford family who replaced the 17th Century house with a more modern property. Although the house no longer exists the stable block and some outbuildings survive. The Cottage (built after the 1779 fire) became home to the Acland family. The Cottage was destroyed by fire in 1851 and replaced in 1861, this property still stands. [2] The kitchen extention was added in 1874. The house was thatched (destroyed by fires in 1921 and 1941) until 1941 when it was tiled. The house is partly set on the cellars of the house that burnt down in 1851. The house is four storeys in places but simply designed. [3,4] The NRHE states that the house is early 16th Century in date, based on the information held in a file of collated information on the property (GIS mapping shows this house, not earlier site). This may be a misreading of the information in the file. This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [5,6]