MSO11273 - Withycombe Farm, Exford (Building)

The farm appears deserted on the modern maps. [1] No further information. [2] The Tithe Map for Exford shows two buildings in this location.The eastern one, at SS 8291 3830, is labelled "Higher Withycombe" in land parcel 350 and the western one, at SS 8287 3829, is labelled "Lower Withycombe" in land parcel 558. Both have a central domestic area (coloured pink) with attached outbuildings used for other purposes. There are two further small outbuildings at SS 8285 3828 and SS 8283 3826, both shown in land parcel 558; between them is a small plot showing cultivation and labelled 559. Further cultivated enclosures are shown at SS 8290 3828 (land parcel 351) and SS 8289 3834 (353). The accompanying Apportionment describes the parcels as follows: Higher Withycombe (owned by Sarah Clatworthy, occupied by John Baker) 350 - Homestead 351 - Garden 353 - Garden by Meadow Lower Withycombe (owned and occupied by Richard Gregory) 558 - Lower Withycombe Homestead 559 - Garden There are other small and larger enclosures around the farmsteads. [3] By the time the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map was surveyed, Lower Withycombe had been demolished and a new building constructed at SS 8286 3830. The outbuilding at SS 8283 3826 had also been demolished and replaced by two at SS 8285 3826 and SS 8285 3827. The site was simply labelled Withycombe. [4] The features depicted on the 1st Edition map are repeated on the 2nd Edition, save that the remaining original outbuilding at SS 8285 3828 had also been demolished. [5] Since the 2nd Edition Ordnance Survey map was surveyed, both Higher Withycombe and the newer building at SS 8286 3830 had been demolished and a newer building constructed at SS 8287 3829. The two remaining outbuildings are still extant, and aerial photographs taken in 2015 suggest the original homesteads may survive as ruins in the current gardens of the extant property. [6,7] The site was visited in February 1997. The house was thought to date to c.1900. No regular yard was seen but a pair of 19th Century rubble building were noted either side of the track before the house. The remains of a ruined building with arches was also seen near the house. The southwestern outbuilding was noted to be built into the bank. [8] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [9]