MSO11675 - Post-medieval Well Farmstead west of Bradley Wood (Monument)

Summary

The farmstead is shown on historic mapping. It was recorded as "Wheel" in the early 19th Century.

Please read the Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record .

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

  • None recorded

Full Description

There are the remains of a house on the site and a few traces of other buildings and enclosures. [1] Shown as several buildings on the 1962 six inch Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division map. [2] Ruined buildings shown on 1978 Ordnance Survey map. [3] Banks and walls forming a group of small enclosures with two buildings, one of which is roofless. Centred at SS 852 335. Deserted farm site of Well. Visible on Tithe Map [8]. [4-6] Was in Winsford parish but now in Withypool following reorganisation in 1982. Adjacent water meadow system, see MSO11829. [7] In 1839 there was an estate of 95 acres here, and the buildings are shown roofed. [8] A medieval farmstead at Well is indicated in the 1327 Lay Subsidy by the entry of William atte Well. [9] The complex is shown as roofed in 1888, but had shrunk by 1903. A building to the northwest was depicted as roofed in 1888, but was unroofed by 1903 (the building referred to by the RCHME survey as surviving as a mound). [10] The entire complex is depicted roofed in 1809, although the name is "Wheel". [12] The remains of the post-medieval deserted farmstead of Well lie on a natural levelling in the slope which rises southwestwards from the River Barle. The buildings survive unroofed, except for one to the northwest which survives as a mound. The walls of the other buildings stand in places to their full height although there has been some stone robbing. The buildings are constructed using local stone with some brick window arches. Local information suggests that Well was inhabited until about 1970, soon after which the roof tiles were taken for a house in Hawkridge, leaving the walls to their imminent decay [13]. [14] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [15]

Sources/Archives (15)

  • <1> Article in serial: Aston, M. 1983. Deserted Farms on Exmoor and the Lay subsidy of 1327 in West Somerset. Proceedings of the Somerset Archaeology and Natural History Society. 127. 101.
  • <2> Map: Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division. 1962. 6" SS83SE.
  • <3> Map: Ordnance Survey. 1978. 1:10,000 SS83SE.
  • <4> Aerial photograph: September 19. HSL.UK.71-178 Run 85. 9324.
  • <5> Aerial photograph: 1947. LHL CPE/UK/1980. 3361.
  • <6> Survey: Western Archaeological Trust. 1980s. Exmoor Aerial Photograph Survey. SS8533A.
  • <7> Verbal communication: Various. 1900-. Somerset County Council / South West Heritage Trust staff comments. E Dennison, Somerset County Council, 8 October 1984.
  • <8> Map: 1839. Winsford Tithe Map and Apportionment.
  • <9> Monograph: Dickenson, F.H.. 1889. Kirby's Quest for Somerset. Somerset Record Society. Series 3. 178-9.
  • <10>XY Map: Ordnance Survey. 1868-1901. County Series; 1st Edition 25 Inch Map. 1:2500. 1888, Somerset 56(8). [Mapped feature: #34085 ]
  • <11> Map: Ordnance Survey. 1902-1907. County Series, 2nd Edition 25 Inch Map. 1:2500. 1903, Somerset 56(8).
  • <12> Map: Ordnance Survey. 1809. 1" 1st edition, sheet 20.
  • <13> Verbal communication: Various. Various. Oral Information. Mr Collins, Worth Farm, Withypool.
  • <14> Unpublished document: Chapman, H.P.. Field Investigators Comments. RCHME Field Investigation, 22 March 1995.
  • <15> Digital archive: Historic England. Various. National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE) entry. 35799, Extant 1 February 2022.

External Links (0)

Other Statuses/References

  • Exmoor National Park HER Number (now deleted): MSO8681
  • Local List Status (Unassessed)
  • National Monuments Record reference: SS 83 SE18
  • National Park: Exmoor National Park
  • NRHE HOB UID (Pastscape): 35799
  • Somerset SMR PRN: 34234

Map

Location

Grid reference Centred SS 8522 3348 (96m by 137m)
Map sheet SS83SE
Civil Parish WITHYPOOL AND HAWKRIDGE, WEST SOMERSET, SOMERSET

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

Related Events/Activities (1)

Record last edited

Feb 1 2022 12:38PM

Feedback?

Your feedback is welcome. If you can provide any new information about this record, please contact us.