MSO7163 - Post-medieval industrial complex south of Triscombe Farm (Monument)

A building, possibly an oven or furnace, appears to have been in use for a short period at the end of the 19th Century and is of a square plan with flat roof. It is adjacent to an earlier building and two ponds, which may be associated with it.

A curious building 200 metres south of Triscombe Farm. It consists of a central chamber roofed with concrete and divided by firebars a third of the way up. Two arched openings lead into the lower part, the upper being accessed through a rectangular iron door. There are also two small rectangular vents below and on either side of the door. The building is set into a bank with a chimney at the rear which must lead into the lower chamber although this is not visible because of debris. On either side are open fronted shelters roofed with corrugated iron. The style of the building and comparison with other farm buildings suggests a C19 date. A local woman states that it was disused by 1914 and no known use or parallels can be suggested. [1] SS 920 375. "A small square, stone building with fire-bars, a back chimney, a flat cemented roof and an iron plate door. On each side is a corrugated iron roof lean-to… ...Whether the building functioned on the principle of a kiln or an oven remains unknown." [2] The building is as described by [2], except that the iron door has now been removed. The function of the building remains unknown and local suggestions vary: a small lime kiln; an incinerator; a smithy. All seem inadequate interpretations. It is clear that the building is not shown on the Ordnance Survey 1st Edition mapping of 1889 [3], and that [2] refers to local information that it was out of use by 1914. It was therefore very short lived. The builder of the structure was clearly the affluent owner of Triscombe Farm who appears to have carried out other improvements at the end of the 19th century. [4] The 1st and 2nd Edition Ordnance Survey maps show a complex of features at SS 920 376. This includes a building at SS 9203 3762, with a small enclosure to the southwest and a pond beyond at SS 9201 3760. To the northeast is a square pond at SS 9204 3762. [5,6] Modern MasterMap data shows the building is still extant and the ponds are also still present. The stone building mentioned above appears to be sited at SS 9205 3763, matching the plan form provided by Warren in [2]. It may or may not be associated with the building and ponds to the southwest. [7] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [8]