MDE20997 - Shelley's Cottage, 1 Mars Hill, Lynmouth (Building)
Summary
Please read the Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record caveat document.
Type and Period (1)
Protected Status
Full Description
Number 1 (Shelley's Cottage), Mars Hill is 17th century or earlier with alterations. It is the highest cottage of the group, set behind Number 2, with the front at right angles to it. It has two ancient stone chimneys, one with many offsets projecting at the front. It has a thatch roof and two small gabled half dormers. The building is stone, and partly plastered and limewashed. It has a small approach with a local stone retaining wall,which is limewashed. [1] Detached cottage. C17 or C18. Rendered cob or rubble, thatch roof, but some tiles on rear slope. 2-unit plan with end and front lateral stacks to heated ground-floor rooms; a small cottage, at the end of the row climbing Mars Hill, at right angles to these and facing S. 2 storeys; 2-window range, all casements; at first floor, in small gabled 'eyebrows', a single- and 2-light to a thin mullion, above a C20 door. To the left, forward, is a large stepped square stack with attached bread oven under slate roofing, with another stack to the right gable, which has a small light over French doors. The rear has two C20 casements. INTERIOR: only partly inspected, but seriously damaged by fire in 1907, and shows no evidence of early features. HISTORICAL NOTE: the property now forms part of the Rising Sun Hotel (qv). It is one of 2 houses in Lynmouth which claim to be where Shelley stayed in 1812 for 9 weeks while he was writing 'Queen Mab'. The rival claimant is Shelley's Cottage Hotel (qv) in Watersmeet Road, which has some secondary documentary evidence in support, although romantic tradition would point to the Mars Hill cottage as being a more likely base for the poet. [2] Much of Mars Hill, formerly seven separate cottages, now forms the Rising Sun Hotel. No. 1 is supposedly where Shelley stayed in 1812 while writing Queen Mab although a there is a rival claim. [3] 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. [4] Early in the 19th Century Shelley's Cottage was owned by a Mrs Hooper. The poet Shelley and his teenage wife Harriet stayed with Mrs Hooper in 1812 but it is not clear whether she owned this cottage during that time. The cottage is now part of the accommodation offered by the Rising Sun Inn. The cottage is part of a row of fisherman's cottages, when the cellars were used for smoking herrings. [6] The building is mentioned in a heritage statement dating from 2022. [7] The building is mentioned in the 2018 Conservation Area Appraisal for Lynmouth. [8] The building was assessed as part of the 2018-19 rapid condition survey of Exmoor’s Listed Buildings, receiving a BAR score of 6. [9]
Sources/Archives (9)
- <1> SMO5109 Index: Department of the Environment. List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest . Lynton (3 Sept 1973) 16.
- <2> SMO5109 Index: Department of the Environment. List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest . Lynton and Lynmouth (9 June 1995).
- <3> SEM6954 Report: Fisher, J.. 2003. Lynmouth: Conservation Area Character Appraisal. 15.
- <4> SEM8060 Report: Lawrence, G.. 2014. Exmoor National Park: Rapid condition survey of listed buildings 2012-13.
- <5> SEM8427 Photograph: Judges Ltd. Unknown. Shelley's Cottage, Lynmouth. B/W. Postcard.
- <6> SEM8462 Monograph: Binding, H., Pearce, B. and Pugsley, S.. 2001. Exmoor Century: A century of change through fascinating historic and contemporary photographs of Exmoor. Exmoor Books. 78.
- <7> SEM341367 Report: Singlehurst, M.. 2022. The Old Cottage, 2 Mars Hill, Lynmouth (Part of the Rising Sun Hotel) - planning design and heritage statement: proposed conversion from staff (manager's) accommodation to three letting rooms. 2C Design.
- <8> SEM8696 Report: Pratt, N. and Thurlow, T.. 2018. Lynmouth Conservation Area: appraisal document. Exmoor National Park Authority. p 7, 12-13, 18, 26, 56, 86, Figures 22, 55.
- <9> SEM340772 Report: Thurlow, T.. 2020. Rapid condition survey of listed buildings 2018-2019: Summary of findings and recommendations for action. Exmoor National Park Authority.
External Links (0)
Other Statuses/References
- 2012-3 Building At Risk Score (6): 858/1/4/81
- Devon SMR Monument ID: 24076
- Devon SMR: SS74NW/137
- Local Heritage List Status (Rejected)
Location
Grid reference | Centred SS 7222 4958 (11m by 10m) Estimated from sources |
---|---|
Map sheet | SS74NW |
Civil Parish | LYNTON AND LYNMOUTH, NORTH DEVON, DEVON |
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (1)
Related Events/Activities (2)
Related Articles (1)
Record last edited
Dec 4 2024 10:37AM
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