MSO7460 - Thorne Farmstead, Luxborough (Monument)

The medieval origin of Thorn farmstead is implied by the Lay Subsidy of 1327 and shown as a farmstead with a mill on the Tithe Map of 1843. It has a farmhouse with 16th-17th Century features, ruined farm buildings and a hollow way.

SS 964398. Deserted farmstead of Thorne, indicated in the 1327 Lay Subsidy by the entry of Ada atte Thorne [1]. It is shown as a farmstead with a mill (MSO7463) to the west on the 1843 Tithe Map. A hollow way runs west from the hill top and passes between the ruined stone buildings of the farm down to the mill site. The farmhouse has 16th to 17th Century features and a bread oven. It is mentioned in the 1861 Census but not the 1871. [1-5] SS 964398. Thorn (NAT) [4,5] The earthworks were seen from aerial photographs. [9,10] The ruins of Thorne are in good condition and consist of a straggle of buildings running along a former trackway down to a bridge across the stream. They are centred at SS 9618 3979. To the east at SS 9638 3989 are the ruins of Thorne Farm, which were densely overgrown at the time of investigation. [11] A detailed description of the site is made in a 2007 article. The farmstead included a farmhouse, a linhay, a cottage and a further structure of unknown use. The site of the farmstead had been levelled before it was constructed; the building was constructed in two phases, with the southern being the original portion. The northern was stated to date to 1673. [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]