The ruins of Leathertor Farm lie below Leather
Tor in the woods above Burrator Reservoir. The farm was abandoned in 1924
along with the other farms in the area when Plymouth Corporation had concerns
that farms lying within the reservoir's catchment were polluting the water
supply. The ruins seen today were last tenanted by Mr John Lillicrap and
are of a farm building built in 1870 and of a barn built in 1873. However
this farmstead was built on the site of an earlier farm; indeed the first
record of a farmstead here dates from 1317. Remains of earlier buildings
can be seen on the other side of the track which runs down past Leathertor
farm when approaching from the direction of Devonport Leat above. |