MSO10752 - Westbourne Cottage and Bow Cottage, Selworthy Green (Building)

A cottage probably 17th century in date, altered in the mid 19th century.The building has a three cell Cross passage plan, stone, render, roughcast and pebbledash walls and a gabled roof (Photograph in NMR). [1] A 17th century farmhouse, divided into two cottages by Sir Thomas Acland in 1828-29. [3] A late medieval (1450-1550) cross passage house. Features such as the bow window and rustic porch were added by Sir Thomas Dyke Acland, if was also at this time that the house was divided into two cottages. The propeerty is thatched and has gothic style entrance doors. The proerty has a front lateral chimney stack with a rear bake oven which dates to the 16th or 17th century. There is a smoked blackened jointed cruck roof structure which is an original feature dating to the late medieval. Rear and end lean-tos were added in the early to mid 19th century, probably to serve as wash-houses and privies. In the 1960's bathrooms were fitted in the rear lean-tos. The main roof is thatched, the porches and lean-tos are covered with double roman tiles and the bake house is slated. The walls of the front and both gable ends are rendered and limewashed with a black tar band. The rear wall and lean-tos are rubble stone. [4] The building was visited in May 2012 as part of the rapid condition survey of Exmoor's Listed Buildings 2012-13. It received a BAR score of 6. [5] The group of six cottages around Selworthy Green (a delightful informally designed communal garden) was a layout planned by Sir Thomas Dyke Acland (10th baronet) in the early 19th Century for estate pensioners. The concept, and cottage ornee detail around the settlement, may have been inspired by John Nash's Blaise Hamlet (built 1809 for John S Harford of Blaise Castle). On Selworthy Green, in the lower corner are Bow and Westbourne Cottages. The National Trust survey found these to be a late medieval house (1450-1550) of Hall, Parlour and Cross Passage with a Lower Room beyond. There is evidence of extensive smoke-blackening to the jointed cruck roof timbers. This is earlier than the probable 17th Century given in the listing details. The former hall, open to the roof, was most likely ceiled and the front stack, and possibly the bread oven added before the end of the 16th century. It then became a farmhouse until the early 19th century, when picturesque features were added, including split oak trunks supporting a porch roof, and the usual embellishments of gothic or ogee- arched window frames, a bow window and leaded light windows. [6] The building is depicted on the 2020 MasterMap data. [7] The Historic England Archive contains a collection of images of the property. [8-10] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [11] The building is discussed in the 2017 Conservation Area Appraisal for Selworthy. [12] The building was assessed as part of the 2018-19 rapid condition survey of Exmoor’s Listed Buildings, receiving a BAR score of 6. [13]