MSO10781 - Bevins House, Winsford Village (Building)

Constructed in the mid 19th Century, the house has roughcast render over rubble and a raised roof. It is believed to be the birthplace of Ernest Bevin, trades union leader and former Foreign Secretary (1945-51).

House. Mid C19, roof raised subsequently. Roughcast over rubble, steeply pitched asbestos slate roof, brick stacks rising below roof ridge at gable ends. Plan: 2-cell and cross passage with wing at rear. Two storeys, 3 bays, sash windows with single vertical glazing bars, central half glazed door with 2 lights. Listed primarily for historic interest as the birthplace of the statesmen and trades union leader Ernest Bevin (1881-1951), who spent the first 8 years of his life here. There is an inscribed slate plaque to his memory end bay right. [1] English Heritage Listed Building Number: 265563. First Listed on 02/01/1986. [2] L-plan. Stone, Render, roughcast and pebbledash walls. Gabled roof [3] The building was visited in March 2012 as part of the rapid condition survey of Exmoor's Listed Buildings 2012-13. It received a BAR score of 6. [4] Of particular historic importance is Bevins Cottage with a late 19th century frontage, probably originally a two-cell cottage with cross-passage but with the roof raised subsequently. The three-bay frontage has sash windows with single vertical glazing bar, central half-glazed door with two lights. This was the birthplace and home for his first eight years of Ernest Bevin 1881-1951, statesman and trades union leader who also attended the village school. Bevins House is a former cottage heightened and re-fronted in the 19th Century, and primarily listed as home of Ernest Bevin, former Foreign Secretary (1945-1951). [5] The house does not appear on the Winsford Tithe Map. [6] The building is depicted, apparently in its current layout, on the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map. [7] The Rt Hon Ernest Bevin, wartime Minister of Labour, British Foreign Secretary 1945-1951, architect of NATO and world statesman, lived in this house. He was born in 1881 and went to Winsford School. [8] Winsford was designated as a conservation area in 2023. The new appraisal was produced as part of the adoption of the conservation area. [9] The building was assessed as part of the 2018-19 rapid condition survey of Exmoor’s Listed Buildings, receiving a BAR score of 6. [10]