A collection of walks, discoveries, insights and pictures of exploring Dartmoor National Park
August 1, 2024
Addicombe
Just inside the boundary walls separating open moorland to the south west of Butterdon Hill and the farmsteads of East Combeshead and Lukesland, there are several ruins which are named on the modern OS map as Addicombe. The ruins are located on either side of a brook (un-named on map but known as Addicombe Brook) which runs through the site.
As Addicombe Brook flows west it passes by land belonging to Lukesland on the south (the left bank) and to Combeshead on the north (right bank) on which the ruins are located. On the open moorland section of the brook, as with most water courses on Dartmoor there is evidence (albeit limited) of tin workings.
Historically, the Harford Parish Church rates book first mentions Addicombe (at Lukesland) by name in 1715, but the occupier then appears to have been paying the same equivalent rate and is named in 1701. Therefore, it is likely Addicombe (at Lukesland) has been in existence from 1701. The Addicombe (at Coomes Head) was first mentioned parish ratebook in 1695
Bibliography
C.F. Hankin ; 1977-1980, Harford Parish Checklist
C.F. Hankin ; 1980, Tin extraction
Sketch map of Addicombe shows the two ‘halves’ of the site either side of Addicombe Brook. The annotations are the plot numbers and names assigned in 1838 on the Harford tithe map & apportionment. The buildings (shown in red) are not accessible as they are on private land but can be viewed from the moorland side over the boundary walls. The Two Moors Way / Dartmoor Way track which comes up from Stowford Bridge lies a few hundred metres to the south and east of AddicombeApproaching Addicombe from the south. The area has been known historically (early 17th century tin records) as Adecombe-hedd (formerly Lukeslond) and was probably the site known as Combeshead Mead (also known as Coumeshed Meade; Cumeshed Med) from the 16th century. Into the 20th century William Crossing named the area ‘Addicombe Slaggets’.Contextual picture showing the two halves of Addicombe either side of the brookAddicombe (Lukesland). In 1838 the building appears to have been one small cottage at that time with a plot of ground 1 rood 23 perches (a rood is one quarter of an acre and there are 40 perches to a rood). The tenant was William Kingswell with the owner being Rev. Robert SavageThe outside wall of Addicombe (Lukesland) with the gate marked private. There are two windows in this wall, one each for the two cottages which superseded the one cottage from 1838. In the late 19th century a Mr. J. J. Mcandrews owned lukesland and spent a lot of money on Harford improvements and it seems the building was enlarged into two semi-detached cottages.Looking through the southern window, the cottage here has evidence of a second floor. Both cottages appear to have had fairly high-pitched roof, with axial stacksThese cottages stayed in occupation until the 1940s. The buildings are built from granite and slatestone and are typically 19th centuryThe remains of a ground floor window with rounded top is of Victorian styleThe two external windows of Addicombe (Lukesland) cottages. Close up of the Addicombe (Lukesland) cottages windows. The cottages are located at approx. SX64750 58170The bed of Addicombe Brook has been very much disturbed, and probably its course diverted. There are some small waste heaps within this little combe.Contextual view of Addicombe (Lukesland) in relation to the brook. It is thought the brook still supplies water to LukeslandAddicombe (Coombes Head). In 1838 the building appears to have been one small cottage at that time with a plot of ground 2 roods 21 perches. The owner / tenant was James Hele RowseLooking over a gate onto plot 111, (Addicombe Cottage and Plots) on the Coombes Head (East Combeshead) side of the brookThe Addicombe (Coombes Head) ruin is very overgrown and difficult to photographUntil around 1913 this small cottage within the enclosed land of East Combeshead farm was still occupiedAccording to the 1838 tithe, plot 111 use was described as Cottage and ‘Potatoe Garden’The cottage is located at approx. SX64763 58228
