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Summary

Former lighthouse which was built in a castellated style in 1856-7. It was decommissioned in 1864. It provided accommodation for a while, becoming known as Castle Cottage and became a tea room in about 1891.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1014610: Dartmouth Castle
• Listed Building (II) 1297085: CASTLE TEAROOMS

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX85SE/101
• Old Listed Building Ref (II): 387136
• Tide Project: 16/07/2020

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• LIGHTHOUSE (Built, XIX - 1856 AD to 1857 AD (Between))

Full description

Department of Environment, 1972, Dartmouth, 10 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV155627.

Castle Cottage, Castle Estate. Small stone castellated building dated 1865, now used as cottage and tea house.

Department of National Heritage, 1994, Dartmouth (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV157498.

Castle Tearooms formerly listed as Castle Cottage at the mouth of the River Dart close to Dartmouth Castle. Cottage and lookout tower, now tearooms. Dated 1856, mid 20th century extension. Painted stone rubble, flat roof. Plan: Small one-room plan cottage with lookout tower to south. Exterior: 2 storeys. Built in a castellated style. 20th century extension in front of original doorway which has been widened to accommodate the tea rooms. No windows this side. Other windows relatively small openings and now contain 20th century casements with glazing bars, except on the lookout tower which has a segmental arch over a sash without glazing bars. Castellated parapet projects on a corbel course which steps up to a higher level on the southern side where the lookout tower rises in the same style to its own embattled parapet. Other details: LBS No 387136.

Horner, B., 1996, DAP/AAX, 30 (Aerial Photograph). SDV320375.

Department of National Heritage, 1996, Dartmouth Castle, No 24234 (Schedule Document). SDV320377.

The Tea Rooms and the 19th century lighthouse are excluded from the scheduled area at Dartmouth Castle although the ground beneath them is included.

Batty, M., 2003, South Devon Coast Path Project: a study of the archaeology along the coast path in the South Hams from Staddon Heights to Sharkham Point, 83 (Un-published). SDV336214.

Young, G. M., 2004, Dartmouth Castle: Phase 2 Condition Survey Works. Archaeological Watching Brief and Recording, 1 (Report - Survey). SDV320380.

The tower to the south of the café was built as a lighthouse in 1856.

Sharpe, A., 2016, Dartmouth Castle, Devon. Conservation Management Plan 2016, Gazetteer No. 4 (Report - Assessment). SDV361934.

Lighthouse built in 1856-7 in a medieval style complete with false battlements. The turret was designed to signal to the Bayard's Cove pilots that a steamship was approaching but unfortunately intervisibility was poor due to the tower of St Petrox Church and the latter was demolished in the late 1850s.
The lighthouse was decommissioned in 1864, replaced by a better sited one at Kingswear. The St Petrox lighthouse subsequently provided accommodation for a river pilot, becoming known as Castle Cottage but in circa 1891 it became a tea room.
Designed to blend in with the other military structures, the lighthouse forms an important visual element of the group of buildings at the Point. It still functions as a tea room, a popular facility with visitors.

Ordnance Survey, 2020, MasterMap 2020 (Cartographic). SDV363413.

Group of buildings shown.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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