A PLANNING application to reinstate the roof of a ‘neglected’ Grade II Listed barn situated at the birthplace of Tavistock’s most famous resident Sir Francis Drake has been granted by West Devon Borough Council (WDBC).

Mill Barn at Crowndale Farm on Crowndale Road is historically important as it is also one of the Duke of Bedford’s model farms.

The farm itself dates from before the 16th century and was the birth place of Tavistock’s famous seafarer Sir Francis Drake. His parents, Edmund and Mary, were tenant farmers who leased the property from Francis, second Earl of Bedford. The ruins of the farmhouse where Sir Francis Drake was born still lie on Crowndale Farm to this day.

Around eight years ago the barn showed signs that it was in a poor state of repair with substantial water damage. An application was put in by trustees of Crowndale Estate to WDBC to place a temporary roof on the two-storey barn. The application, valid for five years, was approved but no work was undertaken to secure the building and over time, the building deteriorated, the roof failed and collapsed within the barn’s interior.

In January this year the barn was covered with a scaffold canopy to prevent further deterioration and enable works to progress.

The application to reinstate the roof was submitted to WDBC and granted with conditions on June 26. The existing natural slate and crease [tiles] are to be ‘carefully salvaged and re-used’ on site when required. The new proposed roof is reported to be a galvanised corrugated profile roof covering.

Conditions include that works should start within three years; stick to the agreed drawings of the application; a record is made of archaeological evidence on the site which may be affected by the development; an ecological appraisal is undertaken to protect species on the site; that mortars used will be lime based to protect the character of the Listed building; and heavy machinery will be restricted to the farmyard area to avoid disturbance of potentially archaeologically sensitive ground.

Devon County Council archaeology was a consultant in the planning application. A spokesperson wrote that they welcomed the essential works but said the submitted draft heritage statement understated the significance of the farm in relation to the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site (WHS): ‘The farm is an intact example of a Bedford Estate model farm, part of an overhaul of the estate that was resourced in part by mining revenue. The estate and associated buildings of the Dukes of Bedford form part of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the WHS. The farm buildings lie directly adjacent to the WHS boundary and the Crowndale Quay/canal towpath/farm access track is within the WHS. I would therefore suggest that the farm is a key component of the setting of the WHS, relating directly to its OUV.

‘In my opinion these factors increase not only the need to ensure that works are undertaken to an appropriately high conservation standard and that the historic buildings are appropriately recorded, but also the heritage gain that will arise from appropriate repairs to the building.’