Historic Buildings: A Conservation Guide for Owners (PDF, 1.2Mb)
Do I live in a listed building?
Buildings form a central part of Exmoor’s historic environment. Settlements on Exmoor comprise farms, hamlets, villages and some small towns, and their buildings are by far the most visible and striking part of the historic landscape. Most settlements have existed on their current sites for hundreds of years although frequent rebuilding means that the oldest known buildings date from the medieval period (some as far back as the 1300s). The appearance of most buildings suggest that they date from around the nineteenth century, but sometimes external appearances can deceive and the interiors of buildings may well reveal a much more ancient core.
The earliest surviving buildings on Exmoor are its churches where their style and ornamentation can date them to the years shortly after the Norman Conquest. Establishing the earliest date of simple stone structures is far more difficult. An indication of a buildings age can be gained initially from the type of construction employed. For instance the wooden limbs of the cruck-frames forming a building’s roof; one of these near Selworthy has been dated by dendro-chronology to the early 1300s.
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Overall, there has been a lack of research into Exmoor’s historic buildings, so that we have a relatively poor understanding of them.
The predominant building material on Exmoor is stone. Examples of early brick, timber framing and complete cob (a mixture of earth and straw) structures are rare. Roofing materials were mainly thatch or slate. By the nineteenth century corrugated iron was widely used as a roofing material on farm buildings, and this too has now become accepted as ‘traditional’. There are sub-local styles on Exmoor as well: for example in some settlements there is a widespread use of clay roofing tiles, whilst in other parts of Exmoor slate hanging is used to face some external walls. Many of these local variations are the result of estate ownership in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. These simple, often very local materials, together with traditional construction methods, combine to give many of Exmoor’s farms and villages their distinctive appearance.
The historic buildings of Exmoor provide one of the most important records we have of the development of our buildings, settlements and land use. Each building possesses features and characteristics, which give valuable information as to the design and materials used when it was originally constructed, or when it was altered. It is important to recognise this when works of repair or maintenance become necessary. The removal of original features, such as doors or windows, can immediately reduce the historic importance of a building.
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Listed Buildings
There are many historic buildings on Exmoor, but of these only around 1000 are designated Listed Buildings of which 465 are domestic buildings.
We are all privileged to enjoy the historic architectural heritage of Exmoor. Those who own historic buildings are custodians of a vital component of the character and distinctiveness of the locality. In order to protect our heritage, the government has drawn up lists of buildings that are considered to be of special architectural or historic interest.
The list is divided into three grades, Grade I, Grade II* and Grade II. It is considered a criminal offence if unauthorised works are carried out to a listed building. It is therefore a wise precaution for owners to find out if their property is listed; this can be done by contacting the National Park Authority. Owners and occupiers of Listed Buildings have particular responsibilities and the National Park Authority seeks to provide advice and assistance in order to ensure that people are aware of these.
The Purpose of Listing
The purpose of listing is not to prevent any alterations, but to protect a building from ill-considered or inappropriate alteration. Owners and occupiers of listed buildings should be aware that both the interior and exterior of their buildings are covered by being listed.
Buildings within the boundary, whether or not they are attached or specifically mentioned in the listed description, are also considered to be listed. This means that no part of the fabric of the buildings can be altered without a "Listed Building Consent".
Listed Building Consent
Listed Building Consent is applied for from the Exmoor National Park Authority. The forms are available from Exmoor House, Dulverton and must be accompanied by a site plan and scaled drawings of the proposed works or alterations. A justification statement is also required. Help and advice is available from Exmoor National Park Authority prior to the formal submission of any plans. There is no fee payable for the submission of Listed Building Consent applications.
Conservation Areas
Conservation areas are defined as being of special architectural or historic interest the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance. Within Exmoor National Park there are 16 Conservation Areas and these tend to be whole settlements. It is generally easy for residents and visitors to feel that a place is special and they are pleased that it has been designated as a conservation area, but a conservation area appraisal is needed to define the exact elements that make the area special. Conservation Area Appraisals take into account views from within the area looking out and views from outside looking in. Groupings of houses, their form and prominence, the spaces between them and their different styles are all taken into account. Features within the Conservation Area such as bridges, trees, boundary walls and rivers are all important in giving an area its character.
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