MEM22161 - 2 and 4, Mill Lane, Dunster (Building)

Two houses dating from the early 19th Century (or earlier), which are rendered and have slate roofs. It has been suggested that these may have been almshouses, used to house the poor between c.1740 and 1839.

The 2002 Dunster Conservation Area Character Assessment states "Around the junction of West Street and Mill Lane are two unlisted groups, all dating from the early 19th century or earlier. Nos. 2 & 4 Mill Lane form an important visual stop towards the southern end of West Street and are rendered with slate roofs, have timber casements and plain timber doors with added 19th century gabled and tiled porches with front gardens enclosed by stone rubble walls." [1] Binding identifies these buildings as almshouses "used to house the poor from c.1740 to 1839 when the houses were sold to William Symons". [2] The buildings are depicted and labelled "2" (western) and "4" (eastern) on 2018 MasterMap data. [3] The buildings are mentioned in the 2018 Conservation Area Appraisal for Dunster and are described as a former workhouse. [4] The property is shown as a single building on the Tithe Map for Dunster, in a similar but not identical plan form. It is labelled 122, and described as a "house and garden". [5] The building is shown as subdivided on the 25 inch 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map, with two separate gardens to the northeast. [6] The heritage asset was assessed for inclusion on the Exmoor Local Heritage List in November 2022. It was decided to add the asset to the Local Heritage List. [7]