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Summary

Public house, former coaching inn, on the site of (and maybe incorporating fragments of) the former church house. Mainly 18th and 19th century, with indications that parts date back at least to the 17th century. There is some evidence to suggest that it originated as a guest house of Otterton Priory who owned the estate in the medieval period.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1306402: THE YARCOMBE INN

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: ST20NW/2
• Old Listed Building Ref (II): 86752
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: 11/02/2026

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CHURCH HOUSE (XVII - 1601 AD to 1700 AD)
• INN (XVIII - 1701 AD to 1800 AD)

Full description

Sheldon, L., 1937, Devon Inns (Article in Serial). SDV10197.

Ministry of Housing and Local Government, 1950, Provisional List 2156, 48 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV110776.

Yarcombe Inn. 17th century but front entirely modernised. Stands on site of and possibly incorporating some remains of guest house on otterton priory. Thatched with modern extension to the south. At rear some stone work remains. Some windows have old dripmoulds.

Copeland, G. W., 1960, Devonshire Church-Houses, 140 (Article in Serial). SDV298102.

Church-house now an inn, abutting into the churchyard. A colour-washed house with a thatched roof. As in many cases the rear shows more character than the front.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1960, ST20NW4, Photo (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV110775.

Site visit 18th August 1960. A two storied house with extensive modern additions to the south-west end of early part and also to south-east face. It has been very much altered and the only external evidence of its age is a string course of dripmoulding which is in south east face. There are no dripmoulds over the windows. The interior seems to have been modernised. There is no evidence that the Inn is on the site of the guest house of Otterton Priory and nothing was identified as being of pre-17th century date.

Copeland, G. W., 1964, Devonshire church-houses Part V, Pl.15 (Article in Serial). SDV299096.

Department of Environment, 1988, Yarcombe, 153 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV96900.

The Yarcombe Inn. Public house, former coaching inn, on the site of (and maybe incorporating fragments of) the former church house. Ostensibly C18 and C19 with more than one through C20 modernisation but the exposed fabric on the back wall shows various breaks and blockings which indicate that parts date back at least to the c17. Plastered local stone and flint rubble, maybe including some cob; the masonry is exposed to rear; stone rubble and brick stacks with plastered brick chimneyshafts; thatch roof to the main inn section, slate to the coach house and stables extension. Long building facing west-north-west and built down the hillslope backing onto the churchyard. The main block, the inn proper, is uphill at the left end. It has a 3 room plan. Irregular 3 window front of C20 casements containing rectangular panes of leaded glass and the inn section includes 2 curving bay windows with thatch roofs. The interior is largely the result of C20 modernisation and most of the features are C19 and C20. The oldest feature is the roof which may be C18; a series of a-frame trusses with pegged lap-jointed collars and X-apexes. See DoE list for full details.

Ordnance Survey, 2026, Mastermap 2026 (Cartographic). SDV366713.

Long narrow building adjacent to the churchyard.

Child, P., Unknown, A brief history of the Yarcombe Inn and The Yarcombe Horse, Photos (Un-published). SDV366780.

The origins of the building are unknown but there is some evidence to suggest that it was a guest house of Otterton Priory. The priory administered the estate in the 12th century. By the 17th century the building was called Church House. It became an inn in 1672, called the Angel Inn.
Following the construction in 1811 of the turnpike between Chard and Honiton which pass through Yarcombe it became a staging post. The name was changed to Yarcombe Inn in 1818. The building was extended at the downhill, southern end, to accommodate stabling and possibly additional accommodation. This part of the building is of poor construction, mainly of brick under a slate roof.
From a historical point of view, the rear top end of the building is of particular interest with ashlar blocks, probably Membury stone, indicating window openings larger than those today. There is also a row of stones forming a redundant drip sill. Both features indicate pre 18th century work.
The thatched roof is of two phases; the oldest lies between the two chimney stacks and is said to be 18th century in origin.
The interior was modernised c.1970.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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