MDE11925 - Hospital Plantation, Countisbury (Monument)

A small area of woodland is named "Hospital Plantation" on the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map of 1889. Local information suggests that it may originally have been in the ownership of the Knights Hospitallers.

The name "Hospital Plantation" is applied to a small area of mixed woodland to the north of Wingate farm in 1889 [1]. Documents (not seen) in the possession of the owner of Ashton Farm, suggest that Ashton itself represents the amalgamation of three holdings, one of which was called "Knights Ashton" in the 17th Century. This combined place name evidence may suggest that the Knights Hospittalers had holdings of some kind in this area. Further research is required to establish the validity of this theory. [1-3] Hospital Plantation is also labelled on 2021 MasterMap data. [4] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [5]