Windy Cross Farm, Thornbury, Holsworthy, Devon - Historic Building Recording (Updated and Reissued 2023)

This report presents the results of a historic building recording that was carried out by South West Archaeology Ltd. (SWARCH) in advance of a potential demolition and subsequent residential development at Windy Cross Farm, Thornbury, Holsworthy, Devon. The initial site visit was conducted in March 2020, however the site was revisited and the report was reissued following a fire in November 2022. The historic building recording followed the guidance that is outlined in: Standard and Guidance for the Archaeological Investigation and Recording of Standing Buildings or Structures (CIfA 2014); and Understanding Historic Buildings: A Guide to Good Recording Processes (Historic England 2016). The discussion of the buildings' setting followed the approaches that are outlined in the appropriate guidance (DoT Guidance and Historic England 2015). The farmhouse at Windy Cross Farm is a small and traditional cob-built Devon farmhouse. It is considered to be of some architectural interest due to its construction from local materials and its displaying of historic features that are indicative of a complex development. It has its origins in the late medieval period and it retains a significant proportion of historic built fabric. It has received two significant phases of remodeling - one in the 17th century, flooring the hall and providing a purpose built kitchen, and one in the 19th century, adding a dairy, inserting a stair and dividing the first floor into bedrooms, and dividing the range into two separate cottages. The rural location, the semi-derelict condition, and the lack of occupancy over the last few decades have meant that it has not previously been recorded and studied. Unconverted historic Devon farmhouses are now few and far between and to demolish this building would represent an unacceptable loss of an undesignated heritage asset. Its demolition will be permanent and irreversible and such an approach is therefore assessed as being of negative/substantial impact on an undesignated heritage asset. It is recommended that there will be a need for some sort of planning balance in order to facilitate the re-instatement and the subsequent retention of the farmhouse at Windy Cross Farm as a dwelling whilst perhaps allowing for the construction of a new dwelling nearby. It is further recommended that the building is not demolished and that the building is protected by a full programme of historic building recording and a subsequent consideration for Listing. The aforementioned recommendations were made following the initial site visit in March 2020, however the devastating fire of November 2022 occurred before such a programme of historic building recording could be undertaken. A reactive building survey was undertaken to record the current standing fabric that was exposed by the fire, with the interpretation of the building being updated accordingly. The assessment of the value and the significance of the building has obviously changed in some categories, such as integrity and evidential value, however it is felt that the building should be retained and restored if at all possible as it inherently still represents a late medieval holding. Any such future approach would obviously be dependent on a structural assessment, however a key element of any future approach should be that as much original material is reused as is practicable.