Courtyard Range Of Model Farm Buildings About 10 Metres South Of And On Opposite Side Of Road To Wistlandpound Farmhouse

KENTISBURY SS 64 SW 5/89 Courtyard range of model farm buildings about 10 metres south of and on opposite side of road to 2.6.86 Wistlandpound Farmhouse. GV II Courtyard range of model farm-buildings consisting of bank-barn with attached mill- house, granary, stables, cart-sheds, shippons, calves houses and stable-workers accommodation situated on opposite side of road to Westlandpound Farmhouse (q.v.). Mid C19. Unrendered stone rubble with ashlar and brick dressings. Impressive planned model farmyard consisting of 4 integral ranges enclosing and facing into a central courtyard with opposing front and rear entrances, the front entrance surmounted by bell-turret with shippons to each side of the front range, bank barn with attached mill-house to rear to left (east) side, stables and cart- sheds to rear range, and stable-workers accommodation and associated buildings on right(west) side. Principally single storey ranges on south and north sides, 2 storey bank barn with first floor rear access on east side and lofted west range. North range has 3 louvred windows to ashlar entrance gateway with cambered stone arch flanked by twin engaged pilasters. Octagonal bell turret over with ogee lead covered roof supported on channelled pilasters and surmounted by weathervane. Bell in situ. Apart from double plank doors to rear of bank barn, all of the principal openings face into the central courtyard. Bank barn has 4 window opening, the 2 to right infilled above 2 plank doors flanking cart entrances to each side of stone steps leading to windowing door. Lower ranges to each side, that to left door over plank door, that to right has stone steps leading to granary door with window above cart entrance to right. South range has 2 stable doors flanked by window openings to left of wide opposing courtyard entrance with 5 cart entrances to right. West range has for left, court entrance 3 doors with window above, cart entrance with 16 paned windows above and to right, and doors with cart entrance to left, window to right end loft door above north range has 2 doors flanking cart entrance to left of courtyard entrance and 3 doors to right. The attached mill-house to the rear of the barn retains its overshot mill wheel. This is a very fine and remarkably intact model farmyard with no other comparable examples in North Devon. It appears to have been built by the Fortescue family (of Castle Hill, Filleigh) but from the 1850's was in the occupation of the manager of the Knights of Exmoor estates.

Listing NGR: SS6442742290