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Summary

The Hermitage, Ringmore. Late 17th or early 18th century in date.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1269161: THE HERMITAGE

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• HOUSE (XVII to XVIII - 1601 AD to 1800 AD (Between))

Full description

Steinmetzer, M., 2015, Historic Recording at The Hermitage, Ringmore (Report - Survey). SDV359709.

Archaeological building survey carried out at The Hermitage, Shaldon, Devon (SX 9242 7225). The work was carried out to satisfy condition no. 5 attached to the grant of listed building consent. The Hermitage is an important historic building within the Ringmore area, its size reflecting a large and prosperous establishment. The layout of the house perpetuates that of an earlier house which was probably first constructed as a three room and cross-passage house in the late 17th century.

Although the property is not shown on the 1741 estate map (Fig. 2) the main house is dated to
the late 17th or early 18th century on stylistic grounds. The property is first mentioned in Pigott’s
directory of 1830 when William Mortimer, a wine and spirit merchant, is listed as the proprietor. The 1841 census provides the following description of its occupants ‘The Hermitage: William Mortimer, 69, married, living with Elizabeth Mortimer, 63, and William, 22, and Elizabeth, 10’. The tithe survey of Shaldon parish took place in 1843, revealing that the property was still in the ownership of the Mortimer family. The map clearly shows the main house and a large outbuilding and orchard to the north and west (Fig. 3). William Mortimer is listed again in Pigott’s Directory of 1844 as a merchant and ship owner, obviously a man of some wealth and standing. It is unclear what happens to the property following his death in the early 1850’s, but it is likely to have passed to his wife and subsequently to his son. By the early 1880’s the property had been sold to Frederik Albert Davenhill. He is listed as a
private resident and owned The Hermitage until 1902, when he moved to Priory Cottage, Ringmore3. The area was mapped by the Ordnance Survey in 1890, when the property was shown in the greatest detail thus far (Fig. 4). A small outbuilding had been added to the northern end of the main house, and the large outbuilding demolished, while the orchard had been turned into a formal garden. The extension appears for the first time on the 1905 Ordnance Survey map (Fig. 5), when it has a small porch on the western side. By 1908 Robert Digby Watson is listed as the owner. He is a private resident and sold the property in early 19114 to Col. Hugh Claude Edward Lucas, a retired Indian Army Officer, and his wife5. Originally commissioned into the 7Bombay Infantry in 1869, Lucas subsequently transferred to the 107 Pioneers, ending hiscareer as Inspector-General of Supply and Transport, Bombay, before retiring in 19096. In early April 1911 an article appeared in the Exeter Flying Post advertising for a cook ‘Cook-General Wanted in April; good, steady, experienced; clean, honest, with good references – Apply Mrs Lucas, The Hermitage, Shaldon, S. Devon’7. Their second son, Clifton Malet
Lucas, a second-lieutenant in the South Wales Borderers, was killed in action during the Battle of the Somme8. By the early 1920’s the property had been purchased by Col. John Ewen MacPherson. Born
in 1869, the son of J. E. MacPherson, a spirit and wine merchant from Newcastle, he attended the Royal Grammar School Newcastle-upon-Tyne, before being commissioned in 1894 into the 1st Newcastle Engineer Volunteers as a second lieutenant9 10. Promoted to Captain in 1906, he became a Major in command of 2 Northumbrian Field Company (TA) in 1910. On the outbreak of war in 1914 the company was transferred to the 50 (Northumbrian) Division. Moved to France in early 1915 the division saw action on the Yser canal in April and by the end of the month he was promoted to command of the Divisional Engineers. He was subsequently transferred in November 1915 to 63 (Northumbrian) Division forming in England. However, due to high losses in France this unit never saw combat but was used to provide drafts of trained men for 50 (Northumbrian) Division on the western front, with the engineers going to the 15 (Indian) Division11. After retiring from the Army John MacPherson enjoyed diverse pursuits and is listed in the Exeter and Plymouth Gazette on Thursday 7 October 1926 as selling a prize winning hen for 42s at the Teignmouth Show. By 1935 the Hermitage was owned by Charles Joseph Catling, a retired Captain from the Suffolk Regiment, and his wife Grace. Their son, Wallace Robert Catling, a Captain in the 6th (H.D.) Bn. The Wiltshire Regiment died in Taunton on 5th February 1947 from the effects of having been gassed during the First World War. He is buried in St Nicholas graveyard

Ordnance Survey, 2016, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV359352.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7036 - Historic Building Recording at The Hermitage, Ringmore (Ref: 15-09)

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