MEM23773 - Dunster Priory Farm (Monument)

A map of Dunster dating to the late 18th Century shows a farmyard arranged around the dovecote and with the Tithe Barn forming its eastern boundary. Several stone walls appear to survive that may be associated with the farmyard.

A map of Dunster dating to the late 18th Century shows a rectangular enclosure formed by a group of buildings at SS 9901 4372, arranged to form a yard with the dovecote in its centre. The Tithe Barn (MSO9436) forms its eastern boundary. The buildings are shown across the entire northern and western sides, with the western end of the southern side also occupied. [1] The arrangement described above is shown similarly on the Dunster Tithe Map, except with a small length of walling built abutting the dovecote to its south. The group, including the Tithe Barn (MSO9436) and Prior's House (MSO12115) all fall under the same ownership and are together labelled as land parcel 61. The accompanying Tithe Apportionment describes this as "House Barton Garden etc", part of the Priory and owned by John Fownes Luttrell Esquire, being occupied by Thomas Oatway (it is, however, noted that this land is tithe free). [2] By the time the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map was surveyed, the farmstead appears to have been mostly demolished, leaving two small structures at SS 9901 4373 and SS 9898 4373 (the latter of which is still extant). The area appears to have been remodelled to form gardens and to allow the current road to pass through the site. Some of the walls to the farm buildings appears to have survived and are now listed. [3-5] In 1539 Dunster Priory was dissolved and the lands and buildings passed to the Crown before being leased to John Luttrell. The Luttrells had bought the manor in 1375. John lived in Priory Farm and was the uncle of John Luttrell, the owner of Dunster Castle. In 1543 the property was sold to the Luttrell family. The Priory Farm is now known as "The Old Priory". [6]