MDE20998 - Rising Sun Hotel, York Cottage and adjoining cottage, Mars Hill, Lynmouth (Building)

Three houses in a row, now a hotel. The overall building is probably 18th Century in date with later alterations and additions. The buildings are part of a row of old fisherman's cottages, when the cellars were used for smoking herrings.

The Rising Sun Hotel, York Cottage, and the cottage adjoining to the left of York Cottage all form part of the same listing on Mars Hill. The building is probably 18th century with alterations and additions. It comprises three cottages adjoining Number 1. It has a thatched roof, with eaves swept up to form half dormers at the right hand end of the front. It has colourwashed stone walls. The central cottage (York Cottage) has a plain tile roof. The doors and windows are of various dates and kinds, but are pleasant and in scale. There are two storeys, and four first floor casements to the main portion, on the right. The interior has hewn roof trusses and purlins, and moulded door frames. The central portion (York Cottage) is two storeys, with two windows. The left hand cottage is two storeys with three windows, and at a higher level, with a thatched roof. There are wood casements to the first floor, with French Windows below. There is a verandah with rustic posts and trellis. [1] 3 houses in row, now hotel. Early to mid C18. Limewashed rubble or rendered; thatched roofs to outer ranges, concrete tile to middle unit; asbestos cement to house at lower level and to rear roof slope of first house. 2 storeys. The first house, to the left, has 3-window front, at first floor 2-light 6-pane casements to thin central mullion, above replacement windows and a central C20 door covered by a full-width thatched verandah on square posts. A stack to each gable. Large flat-roofed extension. Adjoining the last, at a lower level, is a house with 2-window front; C20 windows and square rubble eaves stack to lower level. To the right is the main range, with thatched roof and 4-window front. At first floor, set to slight eyebrows are boarded gables to 2-light casements with margin panes and leading. The ground floor has 3 sashes with leading, and a large 5-light C20 casement with transom; two C20 doors, that to right under a thatched hood on trellis cheeks. A stack to the rear eaves, left, and to right gable end. The rear has deep added wings in 2 positions. INTERIORS: partly inspected. There are some narrow staircases and various changes in level; the roofs not available for inspection. Generally no items of special interest were revealed. This range, formerly 3 separate houses, is linked with 2 further properties and Shelley's Cottage (qqv) to the left, in a continuous stepped row, climbing Mars Hill, and together forming the Rising Sun Hotel. [2] Much of Mars Hill, formerly seven separate cottages, now forms the Rising Sun Hotel. The main part, of three former houses, date from the early-mid 18th Century and are stone-rubble built with render and limewash, and roofs are mainly thatched. [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] The cottages are part of a row of fisherman's cottages, when the cellars were used for smoking herrings. [5] The buildings are discussed in detail in a heritage statement dating from 2022. [6] The building is mentioned in the 2018 Conservation Area Appraisal for Lynmouth. [6]