MEM23105 - Beara, North Molton (Building)

The Tithe Map for North Molton shows the farmstead in the form of two buildings framing two sides of a triangular yard, with a small outbuilding to the northeast on the edge of a small enclosure at c. SS 7057 3518. A further small enclosure is to the southeast of the group. One of the two buildings appears to be a farmhouse, which is T shaped in plan (inverted to form a straight frontage with central wing to the rear) and fronting the farmyard to its north at c. SS 7054 3515. The other structure appears to be a very long range of farm buildings, constructed in a northwest to southeast arrangement. [1] By the time the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map was drawn, a new farmhouse had been constructed on the site, at SS 7057 3513, with an outbuilding to its north at SS 7057 3515 . These buildings are both still extant. Of the original buildings, the long farm buildings range still appears to be extant, as does the farmhouse, although this seems to have been subject to alteration and extensions if not complete rebuilding. In addition, a circular structure is depicted in the join between the two buildings and this may be a horse engine house. A well is also marked in the field to the northeast of the original farmhouse and there is also a building marked in a similar position to the small outbuilding on the Tithe Map but it is not clear if this is the same structure. [2,4] The 2nd Edition map again shows further alterations to the original farmhouse (or newer building on the same site), creating a C shaped structure with its two wings pointing into the central yard. To accommodate the western wing, part of the long farm building range has been demolished and it seems that the possible horse engine house is no longer connected to either structure. The remaining buildings are as they were depicted on the 1st Edition map and all are apparently still in the same form presently, excepting that the small outbuilding in the enclosure to the northeast has been demolished and replaced with a larger structure. [2-4] N.B. The site is located in an area where two GIS mapping tiles overlap each otherfor both the 1st and 2nd Edition Ordnance Survey maps and these are not aligned correctly. This has given some issues in mapping interpretation. [2,3,5] The site was visited in December 1996. The newer farmhouse was said to be built of brick, dating to c. 1900. The original farmstead was owned by the Ackland estate and comprises a series of rubble buildings with brick dressings and slate roofs, making up a yard adapted to the site. One 'earlier' building was said to survive with alterations but other 20th Century buildings were sited to the south. [6]