Ancient Tenements facts for kids

The Ancient Tenements are some of the oldest farms still standing in Dartmoor, England. They were first built a very long time ago, around the 1300s, and maybe even earlier!

What are the Ancient Tenements?

Imagine a time when most of Mediaeval Britain was wild and open. In a special area called the Forest of Dartmoor, people usually weren't allowed to let their animals graze freely. But a few brave settlers were given permission to build farms there. They could also let their cows and sheep eat grass on the land nearby. These special farms became known as the Ancient Tenements. Many of them are still around today!

Farms from a Long Time Ago

These farms were unique because they were allowed in an area where most people couldn't settle. They were important for farming and raising animals in Dartmoor. Over the centuries, these farms have seen many changes, but their history goes back hundreds of years.

Surviving Ancient Farms

Many of the original Ancient Tenements are still standing. Some have changed over time, but others still have parts of their very old buildings. Here are some examples of these historic farms:

• Babeny
• Bellever
• Brimpts
• Brownberry
• Dunnabridge
• Dury
• Hartyland
• Hexworthy
• Huccaby
• Lakehead
• Merripit
• Pizwell
• Prince Hall
• Riddon
• Runnage
• Sherberton

Buildings with History

Many of these old farms still have buildings that were first built in the Middle Ages. Some even have parts of their original longhouses. A longhouse was a special kind of building where people and their animals lived under the same roof!

• Bellever's medieval longhouse was taken down only about a hundred years ago. The farmhouse you see today was built in its place.
• Dunnabridge grew into a group of smaller farms. Some of the barns there today have signs of chimneys. This shows that people once lived in them!
• Dury Farm has a very old fireplace and granite stairs that twist around the chimney.
• Pizwell has a door and a fireplace from the 1500s.
• Prince Hall, once called Prynse Hall, is now a hotel and restaurant. It stands where the original farm used to be.
• Riddon, originally Riddam, no longer has its first longhouse. But it does have an old granite barn.
• Sherrill, sometimes called Sherwell, is a small group of farm buildings and cottages. The farm still has its original longhouse almost completely intact. It is now used as a barn and has a big porch made from granite slabs.

Most of these buildings are considered Grade II listed. This means they are important historic buildings that should be protected. Some are even Grade II*, which means they are especially important!

Life in the Old Days

For many centuries, these farms were very far away from towns and villages. They were quite isolated! Even so, the people living there were expected to travel many miles to church every Sunday. They had to walk over hills and rough land. To make things even harder, the church boundaries often didn't match the natural landscape.

However, in 1260, a special rule was made by the Bishop. It said that people who passed away from Pizwell and nearby Babeny could be taken to Widecombe-in-the-Moor for burial. This church was much closer and easier to reach.