Shapcott Barton

Shapcott Barton, Chenutdestana, Knowstone Estate are all synonym names for this ancient farmstead, which goes back to before 1066 when it was owned by Algar. The Domesday record records ‘Algar has a manor called Chenutdestana (The Stone of Canut) and the name from which the village of Knowstone got its name. A true old manor is where courts were held. Shapcott (Chenutdestana) has changed hands very few times in its long history of over 1000 years. The Shapcotts were descendants of Algar and they lived here for more than 700 years – when it was nicknamed ‘Shapcott’s Barton’. This name then stuck rather than calling it by its original name ‘Chenutdestana’ which is all a bit of a mouthful. ‘Stana’ means stone and reading it backwards it says ‘Stone of Canut’, the name from which Knowstone village got its name. One of the more recent owners (Mr Campbell) used its original name –The Knowstone Estate – (Chenutdestana), because it was no longer owned by the Shapcotts. In 1966 Mr Campbell sold off a small area of Shapcott for building bungalows at Roachill. 

The current owners are Bill and Anita Allen who open up their gardens at certain times of the year and are very happy to discuss the history of Shapcott with anyone who is interested.