MSO10790 - Winn Cottage and Thorn Cottage, Winsford (Building)

A pair of semi-detached cottages dating from the late 18th or early 19th Century, altered late 20th Century. Winn Cottage was the village Post Office, then sold to the PRHA as an annexe to the Royal Oak Inn before becoming a private dwelling.

Pair of semi-detached cottages. Late C18-early C19, altered late C20. Roughcast over rubble, half-hipped thatched roof, central stone stack, stone and roughcast stacks in outer bays. Plan: 3-cell, both almost identical, each with projecting circular stone turrets on facade. Two storeys, long 8 window front, end bays projecting, mostly C20 fenestration below wooden lintels, C19 leaded stair lights, entrance to Thorn Cottage left gabled porch, half glazed C19 door with marginal glazing bars, C20 door to Winn Cottage right below triple ridge tile pentice porch, similar pentice to right over outer bay window. Forms a picturesque group. Interior not seen, said to be without dateable features. An unusual plan for a pair of semi-detached cottages in West Somerset. (VAG Report, unpublished SRO, July 1979). [1,13] English Heritage Listed Building Number: 265572. First Listed on 06/04/1959. [2] 3-cell 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. Winn Cottage received a BAR score of 5 and Thorn Cottage received a score of 6. [4] A semi-detached cottage pair, thatched and rendered over stone rubble and possible cob They are indicated in the listing details as late 18th Century/early 19th Century but appear earlier. Both have long irregular frontages with swept eaves and projecting circular stone turrets on the façade. There is an attic storey light set in the half-hipped gable as at Royal Oak Farmhouse. There is evidence of 19th and 20th Century alterations in fenestration, mainly timber casement windows below timber lintels. Thorn Cottage has a small enclosed porch with gabled roof, and 19th Century half-glazed door with marginal glazing bars. Winn Cottage has an added porch and square bay, both probably early 20th Century with Bridgwater tiled pentice roof. [5] Winn Cottage was the village Post Office in the earlier 20th Century, when it also housed a public telephone and a tailors shop. The post office moved to West Galliford in the 1930s. The Royal Oak Inn was acquired by the People's Refreshment Houses Association after it was sold at auction by the Acland estate and enlarged the building in the early 1930s, firstly with the modern wing where the present dining room sits and then acquiring Winn Cottage after the Post Office moved as an annexe. Winn Cottage was sold as a private dwelling shortly before the PRHA sold the Royal Oak. [6] The building is marked as a post office on the 1st and 2nd Edition Ordnance Survey maps. [7,8] The Winsford Archive hold historic photographs of Winn and Thorn Cottages. The image of Thorn Cottage includes gas pumps situated by the front garden wall of the property and the image of Winn Cottage was taken when it was the village post office, by Vowles. [9] Late 18th century-early 19th century house with late 20th century alterations. Construction is of rubble and roughcast with a thatch roof. [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. [11,12] Winsford was designated as a conservation area in 2023. The new appraisal was produced as part of the adoption of the conservation area. [14] The building was assessed as part of the 2018-19 rapid condition survey of Exmoor’s Listed Buildings, receiving a BAR score of 6. [15]