174 THE RED DEER OF EXMOOR. 



writer inclines to think the latter is the more probable 

 solution, though probably all the banks are not 

 attributable to the same era. 



On either supposition it must, I think, be admitted 

 that these are not the remnants of the enclosures 

 in which the inhabitants in Norman times " night 

 leared " their stock. 



With the exception of a few actually in the villages, 

 the homesteads must, though numerous, have been 

 situated at some distance from each other. Each, 

 in all probability, consisted of the house of the 

 principal owner, some cottages for the villeins, and 

 ranges of barns and cattle-sheds, all surrounding a 

 courtyard ; the whole forming a curtilage defensible 

 alike against armed robbery — a thing not unknown 

 in the district in those lawless times — and against 

 weather, especially against snow. 



Traces of this style of building may be seen in 

 many of the farms to-day, though the security from 

 armed foes has caused the chief house to have its 

 w^indows facing outwards to the south, instead of 

 occupying the north side and facing into the curtilage. 

 Notable examples are Bratton Court, Cloutsham, 

 Newland Farm at Withypool, Bradley, Hollowcombe 

 at Hawkridge, Zeal, and many others. Each home- 

 stead was almost certainly surrounded by a belt of 

 enclosures necessary for the protection of cattle at 

 night, for feeding in the winter, and for the lambing 

 ewes in the spring. Stock farming without a certain 

 amount of enclosure is an impossibility. 



