A collection of walks, discoveries, insights and pictures of exploring Dartmoor National Park
August 15, 2026
White Oxen Manor
A (probable) lesser known Manor within the Dartmoor National Park is White Oxen. Hidden in a delightful valley within a few hundred metres of the A38 Devon Expressway, today the estate is just 12 Acres having been over 64 Acres at the time of the Tithe in 1841. The buildings comprise a Manor House, a Cottage and some Barns, the latter which have been converted to Holiday Lets.
Reichel (1913) recorded that the estate is of Saxon origin and was held in 1086 and states it is mentioned in ‘Testa de Nevill’ * Further to this Gover / Mawer / Stenton (1931) recorded that White Oxen was named as ‘Whittekesdon’ in 1242, ‘Witteskesdon’ in 1285, ‘Whyttokesdon’ in 1303 and ‘Whittockesden’ in 1326. Therefore, it would appear that there is around 1000 years of history here.
Historical records reveal that the name of the manor has had many variants into the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries, which include; White Oxton, Whiteaxton, White Axen and finally White Oxen. The current Manor House most likely dates to mid-late 17th Century.
Pictures in this post by kind permission of current owner
*Testa de Nevill (or “Liber Feodorum”) which translates as “the book containing lists of the fees owed by the tenants of the king.” The “Liber Feodorum” was eventually compiled from Nevill’s old records for the use of the king’s exchequer between the close of the reign of Edward II, and the beginning of the reign of Edward III. So it was around 1325 A.D. that this work was completed.
Bibliography
O.J. Reichel – (1913) – The Hundred of Stanborough or Dippeforda in the Time of ‘Testa de Nevil’ AD 1243, 177, 202 (Article in Serial). SDV336180
J.E.B. Gover, A. Mawer, F.M. Stenton – (1931) – The Place-Names of Devon: Part One, 310-311. SDV1312.
Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division – (1960)
Department of Environment – (1986) – Dean Prior, 2 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV324104.
Historic England – (03/02/2017) – National Heritage List for England, (National Heritage List for England). SDV359963
The White Oxton Estate from the Tithe Map dated 16th November 1841. It is adjacent to the former A38 and field 795 (House Park) is now part of the new(ish) A38 (Devon Expressway)The Tithe Apportionment was date stamped 16th November 1841 and the estate was recorded as Whiteaxton and was 64 Acres, 3 Roods and 10 Perches. The author was told by the current owner that the estate comprises 12 Acres. The estate was named White Oxton on the Tithe Map but as can be seen above was named Whiteaxton on the Tithe Apportionment. On modern OS maps the manor is labelled White-oxen (with hyphen) and there is a Whiteoxen Plantation on the east side of the modern A38 Devon Expressway, which does not appear to be related to the original estate as recorded on the Tithe.White Oxen gateway accessed by the former A38 road. It is located at SX72459 61803White Oxen Manor House. In an unknown article by Thorpe in1943, he recorded that there was a plaster relief panel dated 1703 in one of the upper rooms. The owner of the property in 1943 was of the opinion that the 1703 date panel (with fleur-de-lis and thistles and arabesque or animal frieze surround) commemorated a repair and speculated that it may possibly have been created after the disastrous storm which swept over the area in that year. Historic England in 2017 suggested that there is also the date 1703 on doorway lintel, which has not been recorded by any other observer. It would appear also that the name ‘White Oxen’ was extant in 1943. The Ordnance Survey Division in 1960 suggested the building was built no earlier than latter half of 17th century, making it around 350-400 years old. The front of the Manor House comprises Symmetrical a set of six windows (five-windows to right and with left hand window slightly more widely spaced). The windows are chamfered granite two light stone mullion style casements with leaded panes.Cottage to the north of the Manor House (and opposite the old Barns). Age unknown to the authorFormer Barns, now beautifully refurbished Holiday Lets. Age unknown to the authorBowden Reservoir next to the Rattery – Harbourneford Lane is located on what was historically on the north east corner of field 792 (Higher Broad Park) of the White Oxen Estate. The lane next to the reservoir leads to Tom’s Brake and was the hedge line between fields 790 and 792Part of Benjamin Donn’s Map of 1765, shows that White Oxton – White-Oxen Manor was part of the Stanborough Hundred, which stretched right down to the South Devon coast including Kingsbridge, Salcombe, Marlborough and Thurlstone. White Oxton / White-Oxen Manor is located at the southern boundary of the Parish of Dean Prior as shown on this annotated 19th century mapOn the 1809 Tavistock and Dartmoor one inch to a mile map (sheet 90), the Manor is labelled with as White Axen (yet another derivation of the name)Extract from the Sherborne Mercury dated September 1789. The estate was being sold (approx 70 Acres, which is slightly more than recorded in the Tithe just over 50 years later. The estate was known at that time as Whiteaxton (no space in the name)Extract from Western Morning News from 1920 with the selling of roots, hay etc. At this time the estate was called Whiteaxen (no space in name). By 1943 the name had changed to what it is today White Oxen
Extract from Country Life (2nd September 1999). The owner of the Manor House appeared to be an Antique and Fine Art Dealer. There is also a Country Life advert from 5 years earlier (1994) for an exhibition at National Exhibition Centre with Philip Anrade, White Oxen Manor
