A collection of walks, discoveries, insights and pictures of exploring Dartmoor National Park
March 16, 2025
Scorraton Down Farmstead
Scorraton (Scorriton) Down Farmstead is depicted on the Tithe Map from 1836, consisting of an L-shaped range of buildings around the west and south sides of the yard, which are believed to have been the main dwellings. There was a further rectangular building along the northern side of the yard, which is believed to have been a barn. The farm probably had medieval origins and seems to have been abandoned around mid 1870s, since on an map from that period (dated 1873-1888), the dwellings are not shown. However, the barn was still shown with its roof intact at that time.
The occupant of the farm on the Tithe Apportionment of 1836 was William Petherbridge and in the 1841 census he was recorded as still being there with his wife Mary and two children. Doubts were cast over his tenancy in 1849 through an agents letter regarding the Brook Estate (for which Scorraton was a part) to Earl of Macclesfield, the land owner. In spite of this, Petherbridge was still there c1850 according to White’s Directory and in 1851 according to the census of that year.
Fast forward to 1874, according to an article in the Exeter and Plymouth Gazette from January that year, the farm was available to let (by tender) and at that time had been in the occupation (or ownership) of William Waycott for the ‘last 23 years’, suggesting from 1851 (after the census) the Petherbridge family had moved out. An OS map dated 1873 suggests only the barn was roofed, which possibly meant that the farm to let did not include any dwellings, just the land.
Into the 21st century, there are still some discernible walling remains of the farm which are worth an explore. They are also adjacent to a magnificent beech tree hedge line and are part of the Scorriton Down deer park, where deer are usually seen. The permissive path here is between Scorriton village and the River Mardle just north of Chalk Ford.
Bibliography
Devon County Council, 1838-1848, Tithe Mosaic, approximately 1838-1848. SDV349431.
Linehan, C. D., 1965, Deserted Sites on Dartmoor, Devon, 172 (Article in Serial). SDV217992.
Haynes, R. G., 1966-1969, Ruined Sites on Dartmoor, 122, 20/1/1968 (Un-published). SDV150434.
Sketch map of Scorraton Farm and the surrounding fields, whose names are from the 1836 Tithe Map and Apportionment. The deer park encompasses this area and they can usually be found in the fields named ‘Point’ and ‘Fore Park’This annotated map dated 1873-1888 shows (red rectangle) that only the barn being still roofed. The southern dwelling outline is shown by the western dwelling (with outshut) isn’t a the mapmakers have added a couple of trees.The Tithe Apportionment of Scorraton Down Farm, which totalled around 140 acres. It is interesting to note that the Earl of Macclesfield is the owner. He owned the wider Brook Estate, which Scorraton Down Farm may have been a partView of the deer on Scorriton Down, zoomed in from Snowdon HillApproaching Scorraton Farm from the east (River Mardle) with the deer just a few hundred metres away. It seems that provided you do not cross the line of Beech trees, the deer are contented and will not move, even though they know you are there and will look across in your directionLovely jigsaw pattern on this Beech tree stumpThe Beech tree hedge approaching Scorraton Farm from the eastThe southern dwelling ruins alongside the permissive path. Haynes, in 1968, recorded that the southern house was “mortared but so ruined that no internal divisions can be detected”Looking along lengthways of the southern dwelling. It has been measured at 22 metres by 4 metres internally, with walls 0.5 metres wide on offset footings. This was considered the main house and is located at its centre at SX68291 68469Extract from the 1841 Census showing Scorraton (spelt Scorriton) Down, with William Petherbridge as occupant with his wife Mary and their two childrenTranscribed entry (complete with the lack of punctuation) for 4th May 1849 in the Brook Estate letters to Earl of Macclesfield, where William Petherbridge was described as being a man of ‘no capital or energy’. Petherbridge would have been around 67 or 68 at the time and appears to be struggling to maintain the farmsteadExtract from the (March) 1851 Census showing Scorraton (now spelt Scoriton) Down, with William Petherbridge as occupant with his wife Mary, a daughter, a grandson and a servant. The age of William Petherbridge appears to be incorrect on this census (60) as that was his age in 1841 ! He would have been 69 or 70. By the 1861 Census his correct age had been recordedBy the 1861 Census, William Petherbridge is still living in the Buckfastleigh district but has moved away from Scorraton Down. There appear to be 15 souls recorded (including William) at his new residence at Slatecombe. He was 79 at this point and looking at the ages, it looks like there were three generations living there.At the ruins of the western building / dwelling there is still an upright stone, which may well have been part of a fireplace. The centre of the western building is located at SX68280 68477The upright stone at the western building / dwelling. The western building measures 19 metres by 4.5 metres internally, with an outshut on its northern endProbable outshut at the northern end of the western building, which measures 5 metres by 3 metres internally and has walls 0.5 metres wideUnderneath this wood is the northern building thought to be a barn. It measures 14 metres by 5.5 metres with walls 0.8 metres wide.The barn is located at SX68296 68494In the north east corner of the barn there is some farming detritus which looks like part of a piece of ploughing machineryThe part of the ‘plough’ is located at SX68302 68496The three buildings surround a central yardIn the corner of the yard between the southern and western buildings is a lovely tree with a hollow between the rootsAt the east end of the southern building is a lovely section of wall which is around 2 metres high which has some dressed quoins.Some lovely stonework here with the dressed quoins, which would be at least 200 years oldA lovely circular granite gate post made up of beautifully dressed stones. This gate post is at SX68297 68469The south east corner of the southern building showing the large block used in the construction.Extract from Exeter and Plymouth Gazette from 1874. William Waycott may well have been a gentleman farmer and on the Tithe Apportionments for Holne and Buckfastleigh appears to have occupied (or at least managed) many locations. His name can be attributed as the occupier at Shuttaford, French Hill and Lower Stoodley in Holne Parish and at Lambsdown Farm, Wallaford, Green Down, Rill, plus others in Buckfastleigh Parish. Waycott is recorded at Wallaford for the 1841 census and at Brook Farm in the 1851, 1861 and 1871 censuses. There is a will for a William Waycott in 1884 and he is described as a ‘yeoman’ (a gentleman farmer) and his daughter ‘Rhoda’ is mentioned on the censuses and the probate entry. This newspaper extract does suggest that the Petherbridge’s moved out circa 1851 (ie 1874 less 23 years). Of course, it may have been from that point the farmhouse dwellings weren’t occupied and only the land was farmed.The first view of Scorraton Down Farm if approaching from the east (up from Scorriton village)The Beech hedge and Scorraton Down FarmLovely bracket fungus on a Beech treeLeaving Scorriton Down – view to the deer herd with Puper Hill behindCollage of the deer herd on Scorriton Down – photographs by Frank Collinson
