Local List: Hoar Oak Cottage; 19th Century house and yard at entrance to Long Chains Combe

Hoar Oak Cottage, Exmoor was built by John Knight in the 1820s and 1830s to house labourers in the forest. It survives as a D shaped enclosure representing the remains of a house and yard with the remains of an adjoining rectangular building, perched on a rocky knoll. It is recorded in the 1841 Census Returns as housing four Irish labourers,but is not mentioned on any other Census Returns. The cottage was built to house labourers working at the nearby 'gate-post factory'. The survival of the yard wall suggests the site may have been used as a sheep enclosure once the cottage fell out of use and it is labelled as a sheepfold on Ordnance Survey mapping. Photograph of the cottage in ruins Age: Moderate – of its time Rarity: not uncommon to find ruined 19th century farm workers dwellings but less common to have them associated with Knight Estate Distinctive Design: Unusual cottage and yard converted to sheepfold, original intention may have been to create a landmark feature with functioning structures Historical Association: High associated with Knight Estate Evidential Value: evidence for internal floors, fittings and function and potentially artefacts may survive Social Communal Value: well known landmark on Two Moors Way and Tarka Trail – dramatically sited on knoll Group Value: fairly isolated, although may be associated with gate post factory on other side of stream dual function one of a group ruined workers cottages and part of group of sheep folds or stells Collective Value: with other buildings on Knight Estate Strong association with the Knight estate