MEM23120 - Kemacott Farm, Martinhoe (Building)

The site is currently shown as a farmhouse (at SS 6653 4709) with a group of farm buildings arranged around a yard across the road to the south at SS 6653 4705. [1] The Martinhoe Tithe Map shows the farmstead as part of a wider site, with several buildings apparently part of the group shown in proximity that are no longer extant (at SS 6655 4709, SS 6654 4707 and SS 6656 4707, although the latter may still survive in part and is shown on a smaller scale on later maps). Of the current farm buildings, only the buildings to the south and east of the yard appear to have been extant at this time, although the two are shown as joining at a much wider angle than present. The farmhouse itself may have extended slightly further to the north. [1,2] By the time the 1st Edition map had been surveyed, the farmhouse appears to have been in its current plan form and the farmyard had been enclosed on all sides, with a small entrance on the northern side. The building shown on the Tithe Map at SS 6654 4707 had apparently been demolished to accommodate the northeastern buiilding in the yard and the other buildings mentioned above had also been partially or completely removed. A small square addition has also been built on the eastern elevation of the barn on the eastern side of the yard. This layout is repeated on the 2nd Edition map but since this was published, the small square addition has been removed. [3,4] The farmstead was visited in December 1996. The house was noted to have been altered in the late 19th Century but was originally of a three room plan built across the site's contours. The separate farmyard has buildings constructed of rubble stone with segmental rubble arches and roofs of large slates, built around a now concreted square that previously had a raised cobble walk all around. The buildings are entered through a narrow gap in the north range. The yard has a higher barn on the east side (which had a roundhouse to its rear). The buildings were thought to be 19th Century or earlier in date. [5] N.B. The bounds of the farmstead recorded on the GIS have been estimated from Source [5] but it is not clear whether the farmstead historically incorporated further buildings around the settlement. [6]