MDE20957 - Forge Cottage, Barbrook (Building)

Forge Cottage, Barbrook. 17th Century 2 storey stone cottage.3 casements at 1st floor, south, and rough hewn weather string course. Hewn lintols at ground floor 2 casement windows, and entrance near centre.2 massive end chimneys, that on west side projecting and with drip moulds and shoulders. Wing at north with lean-to roof. Rather steep main roof, now with thin slates. [2] The building is shown on historic mapping. It is not labelled on the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map but appears to be shown as a 'smithy' on the 2nd Edition map and the 6 inch (1903) map (though this may actually be a no longer extant building to its north). [2-4] The building was visited in April 2012 as part of the rapid condition survey of Exmoor's Listed Buildings 2012-13. It received a BAR score of 6. [5] The aunto of Charles Watts, named Jane, started a dame school in one of the rooms at Forge Cottage, before the school was built. The cottage survived the floods but the forge was destroyed. [6]