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Summary

Early 18th century public House reputedly originally built as a private house by George Ley following a gambling win.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II*) 1169072: THE PACK OF CARDS INCLUDING COURTYARD WALLS INCORPORATING BEE BOLES ON NORTH-WEST SIDE

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS54NE/117
• Old Listed Building Ref (II*)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• INN (Built, XVIII - 1701 AD (Between) to 1800 AD (Between))

Full description

Department of Environment, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV330199.

The pack of cards, including courtyard walls incorporating bee-boles on nw side. Public house. Early 18th century. Rendered stone rubble and cob. Slate roofs. Tall rendered stacks. Elaborate symmetrical plan. Five storey central block with three storey wings. Two storey porch. Single casement windows. The inn was reputedly built as a private house by george ley following a spectacular win at gambling, the number of original windows, doorways, chimneys etc each reflecting the component features of a pack of cards. See doe list for full details (doe).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV87608.

Doe/hhr:combe martin/(9/4/1987)41.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV87609.

Weddell, p. J. /preliminary archaeological assessment of combe martin sewage treatment works/(1992)3/(emafu report 92.47).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV87610.

Rance, c. + weddell, p. J. /archaeological assessment of combe martin sewage works/(1993)6/(emafu report 93.67).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV87611.

Nmr=ss54ne17.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV87612.

Cherry, b. + pevsner, n. /the buildings of england: devon/(1989).

Child, P., 1990, Pack of Cards Inn, Combe Martin (Ground Photograph). SDV364814.

Photos of the exterior.

Walker, P. + Ogden, R. B., 1995, Bee Boles and Other Bee Keeping Structures in Devon, 116 (Article in Serial). SDV2631.

Bee bole recorded at the Pack of Cards Inn. International Bee Research Association No. 50.

Collings, A. G. + Manning, P. T. + Valentin, J., 2007, The North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Phase 1. Archaeological Survey. Summary Report, No. 1508 (Report - Assessment). SDV339712.

The pack of cards, including courtyard walls with bee-boles on north west side. Public house. Early C18. Reputedly built by George Ley after win at gambling; no. of original windows, doors, chimneys etc each reflecting component features of pack of cards.

Ordnance Survey, 2019, MasterMap 2019 (Cartographic). SDV362729.

Pack o' Cards marked.

Historic England, 2019, National Heritage List for England, 1169072 (National Heritage List for England). SDV362730.

The Pack of Cards including courtyard walls incorporating bee boles on north-west side.
Public house. Early C18. Rendered stone rubble and cob. Slate roofs. Tall rendered stacks with drips to each of the four corners of the third and fourth stages of the central block. Wrought iron balustrade to top stages. Elaborate symmetrical plan consisting of a tall rectangular central block reducing to a square through 5 storeys, with 3 storey aisled wings with gabled ends projecting to each side. The first three stages have principal rooms in the wings leading off corridors running right through the central block which has a 2-storey virtually free standing porch to south-east front and first floor access to north- east entrance facing road. 5-storey central block with 3 storey wings. South-east front has virtually free- standing two-storey porch supported on 8 Tuscan columns, with central Venetian window with Y glazing bars to the upper storey. Single casement windows to each of the stages of the central block above the porch, except top stage. Slate sundial to left of the middle 3-light window. All the window openings to each side of the central block have been infilled except to top stage. The gable end of the right- hand projecting wing has symmetrical 1:2:1 disposition of 12-paned sashes to first 2 storeys and single sash to the third storey central gable, above which is a polygonal sundial. The left-hand wing is identical except that there are no outer sashes to the ground floor. North-east side facing road has Venetian style window with Y-glazing bar above first floor entrance to central block which has bracketted pedimented canopy with engaged pilasters and 6 panelled door. The courtyard wall on the north-west side incorporates 2 tiers of 6 straight-headed bee-boles with slightly rounded pilastered niches. Interior: despite C20 alterations to the ground floor, most of the joinery and moulded cornices have been retained. The first and second floors are unspoilt, with decorative plaster ceilings to the principal first floor room in the left-hand wing and to the through-corridor. Both corridors are panelled as is the central room on the third floor where Marie Corelli reputedly wrote "The Mighty Atom". All the principal rooms have moulded plaster cornices, and good quality raised and fielded panelling joinery survives throughout. The inn was reputedly built as a private house by George Ley following a spectacular win at gambling, the number of original windows, doorways, chimneys etc., each reflecting the component features of a pack of cards.
Date first listed: 9th March 1953

Sources / Further Reading

SDV2631	Article in Serial: Walker, P. + Ogden, R. B.. 1995. Bee Boles and Other Bee Keeping Structures in Devon. Transactions of the Devonshire Association. 127. A5 Paperback. 116.
SDV330199	Migrated Record: Department of Environment.
SDV339712	Report - Assessment: Collings, A. G. + Manning, P. T. + Valentin, J.. 2007. The North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Phase 1. Archaeological Survey. Summary Report. Exeter Archaeology Report. 06.22 (rev.1). A4 Stapled + Digital. No. 1508.
SDV362729	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 2019. MasterMap 2019. Ordnance Survey Digital Mapping. Digital. [Mapped feature: #119158 ]
SDV362730	National Heritage List for England: Historic England. 2019. National Heritage List for England. Historic Houses Register. Digital. 1169072.
SDV364814	Ground Photograph: Child, P.. 1990. Pack of Cards Inn, Combe Martin. Devon County Council Historic Buildings Photo. Photograph (Paper) + Digital.
	Linked images:2
SDV87608	Migrated Record:
SDV87609	Migrated Record:
SDV87610	Migrated Record:
SDV87611	Migrated Record:
SDV87612	Migrated Record:

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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