MEM23256 - Brinsworthy Farm, North Molton (Building)

The farmstead is shown on the Tithe Map for North Molton as a series of buildings arranged in two groups on either side of the road through the site. The northeastern group is inside the National Park boundary and includes two L shaped ranges (sited at c. SS 7512 3075 and SS 7510 3073) around a yard, with a further farm building to the east, at SS 7513 3074. The two L shaped ranges still appear to be extant, with the western side of the yard they form filled in by a further range constucted by the time the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map was drawn. It does appear, however, that since the 2nd Edition map was surveyed the southernmost range has been subject to some alteration in plan form and the western building may or may not have been demolished and rebuilt. The buildings on the southwestern side of the road are outside of the National Park boundary and include the farmhouse and several other ranges, most of which appear to be depicted on the Tithe Map. [1-4] The site was visited in January 1997. The farmhouse was said to be large, long and originally a medieval three room plan building, extended at the high end. A yard was noted to be separated from the house to the south with a 1970s house beside it (this is presumably the range of buildings outside the National Park boundary). These buildings apparently comprise a range of unknown date on oak posts (?linhay) now used as stabling, with a 18th or 19th Century range partially constructed of cob separated from the house by a cobbled yard. A little linhay was noted west of the house, featuring timber posts and cob wall and possibly dating to the 18th Century. On the other side of the road (and presumably within the National Park) was noted to be a 19th Century rubble barn and a fine series of linhays, the largest of which has rubble posts and the next retaining oak posts. A further linhay at a right angle was noted to have posts and other aspects built in blockwork. [5]