MDE20962 - The Royal Castle Hotel, Lynton (Building)

A hotel built in c.1810 by Mr Colley of Barnstaple. A large portion of the original building burned down in the 1980s. The front entrance has a semi-octagonal granite porch with crenellations over a central arched opening.

The Royal Castle Hotel, Castle Hill. Circa 1810, built as a hotel by a Mr Colley of Barnstaple. It has been greatly enlarged but the original 2 storey l-shaped block remains and has considerable charm. Front has slate hung 1st floor with 5 widely spaced sash windows with glazing bars, one being round-headed and with radial bars. Castellated porch and verandah probably a little later. Projecting wing overlooking sea contains a fine room with coved ceiling, and gothic glazing bars to sash windows. Lawned front garden. [1] The building appears on the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map as a much larger building, with a large range to the south and east of the existing remains. [3] The tithe map of Lynton shows an L-shaped building with two office buildings to the east and southeast. [4] The Castle Hotel was built by a Mr Colley, a maltster from Barnstaple, and was opened c. 1810. The former Royal Castle Hotel, although vacant and somewhat dilapidated, is awaiting restoration and conversion as part of the Castle Heights proposed development of thirty three houses and apartments, work on which was underway by mid 2002. The Royal Castle Hotel dates from 1810. The present building, probably the original one (empty and awaiting redevelopment in early 2002), is all that remains of a much larger and later 19th Century four-storey building with crenellations, demolished in the late 20th Century. The remaining range with slate-hung frontage retains early 19th Century sash windows, some with margin glazing bars, and tent canopy with decorative cast-iron frieze and standards. The later 19th Century modifications, include the semi-octagonal granite-built porch, a double-gabled extension set back to the right of the sea frontage, and a former billiard room with large 20-pane sash windows having Y- tracery. The interior also contains later features including a Minton tile floor, Art Nouveau fireplace and scrolled ceiling frieze. The reeded doorcases and panelled doors with mouldings may be original but the polished hardwood staircase is c.1900 Arts and Crafts. [5] The building was visited in April 2012 as part of the rapid condition survey of Exmoor's Listed Buildings 2012-13. It received a BAR score of 6. [6] A large part of the Royal Castle Hotel burned down under "mysterious circumstances" in the 1980s and has since been replaced by a block of flats. [7] An advert for the Castle Hotel dated 19 August 1833 records that it was run by Mr Davis, late of Ilfracombe and succeeding a Mr Clarke. It stated its scenery "is considered to be of the finest and grandest description that England can boast of, and the solubrity of its air needs no comment." It also suggested that the practice of the local Valley of Rocks hotel in sending out men to greet tourists in an attempt to gain patronage was beneath them. The advert records that the hotel had "excellent stables, lock-up coach houses, post porses, chaises, cars, &c" and "the choicest wines and spirits". The hotel was photographed in the Edwardian era and appeared in an image in 1859. In 1841 Thomas Baker purchased the Castle Hotel from Dr John Clarke, a wealthy Lynton landowner. He greatly improved the hotel and attracted the rich and famous. He also operated the Lynton to Minehead coach, which brought many visitors to his hotel. In October 1856 Albert Edward, the 14 year old Prince of Wales, stayed with his tutor for two nights there. The hotel was since renamed the Royal Castle Hotel. [8] Built circa 1810. It is rendered to the ground floor, and painted, with a slate hung upper level and slate roofs. The hotel is now one unit, much reduced from the parallel range with a wing plus an additional larger range that it once had. Attached to the north east corner is a billiard room. Attached to the sea-facing front is a hipped semi-octagonal conservatory. Set back to the right is a late 19th century extension. It is in the form of a pavilion with a pyramidal roof. [9] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [10] The building is mentioned in the 2019 Conservation Area Appraisal for Lynton. [11] The building was assessed as part of the 2018-19 rapid condition survey of Exmoor’s Listed Buildings, receiving a BAR score of 6. [12]