Range Of Farm Buildings In Planned Farmyard Including Threshing Barn With Waterwheel And Granary, Cow House With Dung Pit, Linhay With Enclosed Yard And Subsidary Buildings About 100 Metres East Of Kilworthy

Range of Farm Buildings in Planned Farmyard, Kilworthy

This is an exceptionally complete range of farm buildings dating to 1851, built as part of the Duke of Bedford's estate. Sited about 100 metres east of Kilworthy, the complex comprises a threshing barn with waterwheel and granary, cow house with integrated dung pit, linhay with enclosed yard, and subsidiary buildings including a blacksmith's workshop. The buildings are constructed of granite rubble with granite dressings; the blacksmith's workshop features Hurdwick stone dressings on its west side. All roofs are slate, with the barn having a hipped roof covered in slate shingles on the front and gable end stacks plus a stack on the front slope.

The farmyard follows an unusually advanced and comprehensive plan, incorporating all the functions required for both dairy and arable farming. The barn to the east is of two storeys and contains a waterwheel approximately 5 metres in diameter set in a launder at its front, allowing grain to be ground and stored within the same building. A large cow house is attached to the west, running in parallel ranges, with a substantial underground dung pit beneath it.

A further range to the west forms an L-plan with additional buildings enclosing a small yard. This section houses the blacksmith's workshop and store sheds. To the north west stands a linhay with an enclosed yard.

The converted barn (now living accommodation) has three margin light sash windows. The granary is integrated into the gable end front range to the left, rising three storeys with two windows on each floor. A datestone in the gable bears a crown and lion's head. The upper storey was used for grain storage.

The water system represents a significant feature of the design. A large overshot waterwheel sits in a launder in the angle between the threshing barn and granary block, with gearing driven from the wheel itself rather than a central spindle. The granary interior retains granite steps descending to the waterwheel, together with original pulleys and gear mechanisms for lifting grain to the upper granary. A pump operated by the waterwheel drew water to a reservoir north of the farmyard; a main pipe circulated water around the yard with marked fire points on all buildings.

The cow house is a notable feature. Its upper level has ventilation slits, while the lower level has four segmental arched entrances providing access to the dung pit below. This dung pit is of exceptional interest, constructed to triple depth with two aisles per bay, all carried on granite monoliths with a floor of granite slabs above. Each aisle is served by chutes at either side of the building, taking manure from inside the cow house and from the rear yard. Central corridors allowed access for dung removal; two original wooden trolleys from this process remain. The left side of the cow house has three gable ends—the central one narrower with calf pens to the rear, the outer ones for cattle. These feature eight-bay king post roofs with loading doors in each gable end, though original door openings have been altered. The left gable end bay retains two original doors with granite lintels. The interiors contain central feeding passages with granite feeding troughs, standings with chute holes fitted with cast iron surrounds, and flat covers over both chute holes and troughs.

The blacksmith's workshop is single storey, attached to tack rooms, with an open-fronted cart shed of five bays with granite piers (later infilled with brick), forming an L-plan. This is enclosed to form a smaller subsidiary yard by a further single storey building of uncertain function, possibly stores. The rear of the smithy range, facing Kilworthy House, features a decorative front of five bays with arched windows with imposts, moulded surrounds and mask keystones in Hurdwick stone, said to have come from Tavistock Abbey. A similar arched window appears in the gable end to the south. A single ridge stack with moulded cornice tops this range.

The linhay to the north west is partly demolished, but retains its rubble walled yard with granite coping to walls about 1 metre high, enclosing an area approximately 10 metres square.

This is an unusually large and complete example of a planned farmyard. The cattle sheds above the underground dung pit are of exceptional interest and provide an instructive comparison with the simpler planned farmyard at Crowndale, also part of the Duke of Bedford's estate.