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Summary

Site of Bridge End House. Built in the 1870s, it was demolished in the 1960s due to bridge widening. It was preceded earlier in the 19th century by a number of buildings which are shown on the Tithe Map.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BUILDING (XIX - 1801 AD to 1900 AD (Between))
• HOUSE (Built, XIX - 1870 AD to 1877 AD (Between))

Full description

Department of Environment, Untitled Source (Report - Survey). SDV326945.

Archaeological monitoring and recording was undertaken during groundworks associated with development works as part of an extension to Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon.
A total of 48 archaeological features were identified, including a series of working and occupation floors, 41 brick and stone walls with associated construction cuts, and a wall robber cut. A number of layers of demolition rubble and kiln wasters used as hard-core were also identified. All the features were post-medieval or later in date and demonstrate the urban development of the site, from industrial use associated with riverside lime production, developing at multiple stages of the 19th century with various buildings, culminating in the construction of Bridge End House which was built by circa 1877.
Walls 413/506, 410, 420, 471. 493, 494, 489 and 490 appear to represent early 19th century buildings shown on the 1843 Town Map but the majority of structural remains recorded are likely to be associated with Bridge End House. The house appears to have been built of brick on stone foundations and looks to have incorporated earlier phases of walling; a possible doorway within wall 471 was blocked by wall section 529.
The house was demolished in the 1960s as part of the bridge widening scheme and a storage yard associated with the museum was subsequently built on the site.
Finds included sherds of North Devon wares and clay pipe stem. A brick stamped 'LAUDER & SMITH BARNSTAPLE' was removed from wall 419. It indicates that some of the bricks at least for the house were produced by this local pottery company, which was established in 1876.

Devon County Council, 1838-1848, Tithe Mosaic, approximately 1838-1848 (Cartographic). SDV349431.

Several buildings are shown on the site.

Ordnance Survey, 1855-1895, First Edition 1:500 Town Map (Cartographic). SDV338879.

House depicted.

Webb, P., 2016, Barnstaple Museum Extension, Barnstaple, North Devon: Results of an Archaeological Evaluation. (Report - Evaluation). SDV360472.

Archaeological evaluation test-pitting was undertaken at the Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon in support of a planning application for a proposed extension to the Museum building. The evaluation identified a number of archaeological features and deposits demonstrating the urban development of the site.
Several phases of building are represented within the demolition deposits recorded in TestPits 2 and 3, the earliest of which spreads across both test-pits within layer (209)/(315). This was replaced by a brick/mortar surface (216)/(314) which similarly spread across both test-pits. A later structure appears to have been located more in the eastern half of the area, the demolition of which can be seen in the wall robber cuts and demolition layers within test-pit 2; whilst test-pit 3 contains buried soils suggestive of garden areas. These deposits probably reflect the early 19th century buildings on the site which were replaced by Bridge End House in the 1870s, the footprint of which partially remains in wall {203}. The demolition of this structure for the widening of the Long Bridge in the 1960s is reflected in the upper demolition layers in both test-pits, and the foundation cut [306].
Finds included clay pipe stems and pottery, mostly post-medieval in date.
See report for full details.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds

• FDV6620 - CLAY PIPE (SMOKING) (Undated)

Associated Events

• EDV7429 - Results of an Archaeological Evaluation at the Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon (Ref: 161116)
• EDV8599 - Archaeological monitoring and recording at the Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon

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