MEM22222 - Myrtle Cottage, High Street, Porlock (Building)

The building is thought to date to the early 17th Century and includes a cross passage with stair turret, several beams with chamfers and a fireplace including a bread oven. A tall front lateral stack includes a date stone (ANO OM 1604).

It is worth noting there are several typical vernacular buildings not included within the existing conservation area, for example Myrtle Cottage in High Street, a typical 17th/18th Century thatched cottage with tall front lateral stack, and, like Holmdale, apparently not listed. Myrtle Cottage, High Street reputedly dates from the 16th century.[1] Myrtle Cottage is a typical three-bay thatched cottage with tall front lateral stack. The date of ‘1604’ on the chimney stack could refer to the installation of the front stack and there is the possibility the building is even earlier in date. [2] The building was surveyed by the SANHS Building Research Group (Exmoor and West Somerset). The building has a three room plan with cross passage, with a stair turret to one side of the cross passage at the rear. The front elevation includes a lateral stack featuring two fire badges and an inscription (ano dm 1604). Internally, several beams have deep chamfers (one known to have scroll stops) and there is a bread oven in the main fireplace, which has burn marks on the timber bressumer across the opening. The large doorway is constructed of two planks and has other features suggesting it has a date of the 17th Century. More recent alterations and repairs have obscured any older timbers in the roofspace. The layout and features of the property suggest a house of the early 1600s. The building was subject to a fire in 1903. It was in use as a tea room, bed and breakfast and garage in 1931. The west gable of the house was a large show room window. [3] 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. [4]