MSO9414 - The Luttrell Arms Hotel, High Street, Dunster (Building)

[SS 9917 4384] Luttrell Arms Hotel [NR] [1] The Luttrell Arms, formerly the residence of the abbots of Cleeve witharched doorway of c.1500 and an approximately contemporary north wing. Much altered between 1622-1629. The house was an inn by 1651. [2] The porch is the dominant feature of the front of the building (see G.P. AO/65/125/5). The rest of the façade is not of outstanding architectural interst. [3] No. 36 (The Luttrell Arms Hotel), Grade II*, High Street (east side).Late 15th/early 16th century with 17th and 18th century and late alterations. (For full description see list.) [4] Late 15th century/early 16th century with 17th and 18th century and late alterations. Rubble, slate roofs. Main portion is three storeys with central two storey gabled porch. Moulded wood eaves cornice, stone end stacks, three windows, sashes with glazing bars, flush frames, outer windows paired, ground floor and 1st floor retain original drip-moulds. Porch has moulded 4-centred stone framed outer opening with drip-mould, pointed-arch inner opening with carved spandrels. Leaded casements with moulded stone mullions and drip-mould to front and sides of upper floor, cross loop opening to each side of ground floor, carved stone heraldic achievement above outer door opening, moulded stone coping and saddle stone to gable. Three storey four window lower height wing to left curving round corner to a two Storey three window return wing with single-storey outbuilding. Windows are sashes with glazing bars, flat heads with stepped voussoirs to return wings; wide elliptical head opening to ground floor of three-storey wing. Later single-storey one window to right of main frontage. A rearward wing of the main block was once the hall and its inward facing outside elevation has fine carved oak window framing extending through both floors with cusping to the window lights and iron saddle bars and stanchions. Inside, on the ground floor, is a 4-centred stone door frame, a stop-moulded oak door frame, an open fireplace, heavy moulded oak ceiling beams and exposed rafters. The room above has open timber roof with moulded arch braces and purlins, curved wind braces. Other interior features include a 17th century plaster ceiling to a downstairs room and a plaster overmantel in a bedroom. [5] English Heritage old Listed building number: 264681. First listed on 22/05/1969. [7] The building is included in Dunster's Conservation Area, the character appraisal (2002) for which states "This is an important historic inn dating from the late 15th-early 16th century, with 17th and 18th century and some later alterations. It is built of stone rubble with a two-storey gabled porch with four-centred arch entrance, and inner pointed arch with carved spandrels. A rear wing is a former hall with a fine carved oak window extending through both floors with cusped heads. There are many interior features, mainly of the 17th century, including heavy moulded oak ceiling beams, and some ornate plasterwork. There is a first floor room with an open timber roof displaying moulded arch braces, purlins and curved wind braces, whilst a bedroom has a plaster overmantel in a bedroom depicting a mythical scene. An adjoining former carriage entrance gives access to a cobbled courtyard." [8] In October 1645 Colonel Robert Blake used the Luttrell Arms as his headquarters to reduce the castle, which was being held for the King by its governor, Francis Wyndham. At this time, the building was called the Ship Inn. He had 600 men and his batteries were drawn up behind the Inn. [9] The building was visited in April 2012 as part of the rapid condition survey of Exmoor's Listed Buildings 2012-13. It received a BAR score of 6. [10] The northern end of the building was subject to building survey in 2014 to assess the impact of a planning application. [12] A desk based assessment and archaeological evaluation were undertaken at the site in July 2015 in relation to proposed development works. The archaeological evaluation trenching identified the remains of structural features potentially relating to former phases of development of the Luttrell Arms property and its boundaries, subsequently demolished and robbed, most likely during 19th Century landscaping. The retaining wall north of the skittle alley was suggested to be built post 1840 and was subject to later repair and alteration. [13] The Chamber of the hotel includes a fine overmantel featuring a figure (?George Luttrell) under a pediment, with a central oval with a scene featuring the Death of Actaeon flanked by female caryatids below, dating from c.1620. Another chamber features a coat of arms (Luttrell impaling Capps; George Luttrell married Silvestra Capps in 1622) and the Parlour has a four panelled ceiling between cross beams. [14] An area to the rear of the property was subject to archaeological excavations in Spring/Summer 2016, revealing numerous features. The report for this activity has not yet been received. [15,16] The Luttrell Arms was photographed in c.1868. [17] A collection of images of the property is held in the Historic England Archive. [18-20] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [21] The Luttrell Arms is discussed in the 2018 Conservation Area Appraisal for Dunster. [22] The hotel was assessed as part of the rapid condition survey of Exmoor’s Listed Buildings 2018-19, receiving a BAR score of 6. [23]