MSO7027 - Larkbarrow Cottage and associated structures (Monument)

The remains of Larkbarrow Cottage are visible as low wall footings and foundations, and a large pile of rubble. There is an associated roofless structure to the east. The cottage was used during World War Two for target practice.

The large and small rectangular walled enclosures are associated with Larkbarrow Farm. [1] The remains of Larkbarrow Cottage are centred at SS 8175 4274. They consist of a large pile of stone rubble 1.3 metres high within the outline of the former building. The building extent can be traced as wall footings, averaging 0.8 metres high: it measured 13.5 by 8.2 metres, and had at least four internal compartments. To the east of the structure, and adjacent to the track, is a small, roofless, stone building 1.7 metres square, with walls standing to 1.2 metres high. It is clearly associated with Larkbarrow Cottage. [2] Larkbarrow Cottage was built to serve Larkbarrow Farm, and like it, was used for target practice during World War Two. [3] Larkbarrow Cottage as described by [2]. [4] The feature was recorded at 1:2500 scale using differential GPS as part of an archaeological survey of the Larkbarrow area. The survey was undertaken by the Exeter office of English Heritage at the request of the Exmoor National Park Authority. A client report was produced as part of the survey work. [5] The remains of Larkbarrow Cottage, as described above, are clearly visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s onwards. From the aerial photographs alone it is not possible to confirm whether or not Larkbarrow Cottage or Larkbarrow Farm were particularly targeted during artillery practise during the Second World War, but they do appear to define the southern extent of an area of intensely concentrated impact craters. [7-9] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [10] The cottage and its associated enclosure is depicted but not labelled on the 25 inch 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map. [11] The enclosure(s) are shown on the 2021 MasterMap data. [12]