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Summary

A detached single-storey bungalow dating from the mid-19th century but the exact date of construction is not certain. The applicant states that it was possibly constructed for James Neil, who may have been responsible for establishing Mid Devon Copper Mine (also known as Belstone Consols Mine) to the south-east. The building which is U-shaped in plan includes a former cartshed or coach house and stables, as well as domestic accommodation, and appears to be of pre-fabricated construction. It has a stone plinth and is timber framed and weather-boarded, with a hipped thatched roof. The windows are a mix of timber sashes and casement windows, with four sets of French doors to the west elevation. The building was assessed for listing in 2011 but failed to meet the required criteria.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX69SW164
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1539064

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BUNGALOW (Built, XIX to Early 20th Century - 1840 AD to 1901 AD (Between))
• CART SHED (Built, XIX to Early 20th Century - 1840 AD to 1901 AD (Between))
• COACH HOUSE (Built, XIX to Early 20th Century - 1840 AD to 1901 AD (Between))
• STABLE (Built, XIX to Early 20th Century - 1840 AD to 1901 AD (Between))
• TIMBER FRAMED BUILDING (Built, XIX to Early 20th Century - 1840 AD to 1901 AD (Between))

Full description

Historic England, 2021-2022, NRHE to HER website, Accessed 26/04/2021, case 463278 (Website). SDV364039.

The Moors is a detached single-storey bungalow dating from the mid-19th century but the exact date of construction is not certain. The applicant states that it was possibly constructed for James Neil, who may have been responsible for establishing Mid Devon Copper Mine (also known as Belstone Consols Mine AMIE UID 1461693) to the south-east. The building which is U-shaped in plan includes a former cartshed or coach house and stables, as well as domestic accommodation, and appears to be of pre-fabricated construction. It has a stone plinth and is timber framed and weather-boarded, with a hipped thatched roof. The windows are a mix of timber sashes and casement windows, with four sets of French doors to the west elevation. There are two doorways to the north elevation; that to the left has a re-sited porch which is shown associated with the right-hand entrance on the Ordnance Survey map of 1886. The interior contains some historic features, including panelled doors and moulded architrave. A room towards the west end of the north range which has its own entrance doors to the north and south, is believed to have originally been the counting house where the payment of miners took place. While most houses built before 1840 are listed, after this date progressively greater selection is necessary, reflecting the sheer numbers of houses being built and the increasing availability of mass-produced fittings and building materials. To be listable, post-1840 houses should possess clear architectural interest; the quality and survival of interiors is also an important criterion. The Moors has a degree of picturesqueness, largely derived from the use of weatherboarding and its rural location. It also has an unusual plan form, but it is not a unique design. Although this form of building is untypical in a Dartmoor mining context since granite is the dominant building material, there a number of pre-fabricated buildings scattered across the moor. As a catalogue item usually designed for the mass market, pre-fabricated buildings, designed to be easily and cheaply erected, lack architectural quality. The case for designation rests on their rarity and intactness. The principal elevations and thatched roof of The Moors provides a pleasing composition, but overall the building is architecturally undistinguished, without any decorative features which might mark it out as being of architectural interest. Externally it appears to be little altered, but on closer inspection, the symmetry of the elevations has been altered by accretional changes such as the relocation of one of the porches, the replacement of some of the windows, and a small lean-to addition to the rear. The French doors do not appear to be original; their height and scale are out of proportion to the elevation. This also seems to be true of the chimneystacks with their moulded caps which are at odds with the rest of the design. Little information has been provided about the interior; however, photographs submitted with the listing request show the inside to be very plain, as expected, with little in the way of special architectural interest. The building’s association with the Mid Devon Copper Mine has local rather than a national resonance since parts of the mine have been cleared and infilled. That said The Moors is clearly a building of local historic interest and has a strong visual impact on the area. Overall though, it lacks the architectural quality that would be necessary for it to be considered of special interest in the national context, and it is not recommended for designation (Source: UDS Non-Designation case, Report on case 463278).

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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