Conservation Area: Lower East Lyn Farm Conservation Area

Four Exmoor farmsteads were designated as Conservation Areas in the early 1990s. This enabled funding to be sought under the then Conservation Area Partnership Scheme (CAPS) to carry out urgent, essential repairs in order to maintain their character. The farmsteads are mainly in remote upland locations which is unusual for such designation, but their characteristics are similar in that they consist of a farmhouse closely associated with a varied range of outbuildings. Each farm has several buildings that are now redundant as regards current agricultural practice and pose a considerable strain of upkeep. Three are remote from public access other than by footpath or bridleway. All but one has a grade II listed farmhouse and two also have grade II listed outbuildings. Lower East Lyn is in Devon, in Lynton & Lynmouth Parish, and is located about a quarter of a mile south the A39 on its circuitous route between Lynmouth and Barbrook. The farm is approached by a curving track bordered by trees and stone walls and situated about 270 metres (850 feet) above sea level in a slight hollow a short distance from the edge of the steep East Lyn Valley. The farmhouse lies along a near north-south axis, backed by trees with outbuildings set back to the north and east. Each farmstead has a considerable history. It has not been possible to carry out detailed research within the terms of this appraisal, but there are some clues to the antiquity of most locations. Lower East Lyn farmhouse clearly derives its name from the East Lyn river where the OE hlynn refers to “a torrent.” The Domesday Book has the name “Line” (Lynton was “Lintone”) which, in later records of 1242 and 1282 had become the Lyn. The listing details for this farmstead state; “This has been a grand house, which needs full investigation to determine its building history.” Part of the farmhouse is of late 16th to early 17th century date and it is shown on early Ordnance Survey maps as “remains of a Manor House.” The listing details mention that it was the former Popham Manor.