MSO8875 - Post-medieval farmstead at Little Shircombe (Monument)

A deserted medieval farm at Little Shircombe is recorded from aerial photos, which show two deserted buildings with banks making small enclosures. [1] The site is named"Little Shircombe" on OS maps. [3] Not mentioned by Aston. [5] Neither Little Shircombe nor Great Shircombe are depicted on the 1782 county map. [6] The tithe map of 1841 shows 3 buildings and 3 small enclosures at Little Shircombe. [9] By the end of the 19th Century only two of these buildings, still called Little Shircombe, remained: a house at SS 9367 3254 and a barn at SS 9366 3255. The third building was preserved in the irregular enclosure wall at SS 9369 3255, [10] Currently only the barn remains in use, worked from Shircombe Farm. The name Little Shircombe persists. [11] This documentary evidence suggests that a small farmstead, Little Shircombe, was established 1km north of Great Shircombe, probably in the early 19th century. It contracted in size between the middle and end of the 19th century. By the middle of the 20th century it was no longer a separate farm and only a barn remained in use. [12] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [13]