MEM23986 - The Exmoor White Horse Inn, Exford (Building)

The Tithe Map for Exford shows a large building sited at SS 8525 3838. It is labelled 1194, with an area to the rear (northeast and east) shown in cultivation and labelled 1195. An L outbuilding abuts the western end at SS 8522 3839 and another small outbuilding is sited at SS 8524 3837. The accompanying Apportionment describes 1194 as White Horse Inn Stables etc and 1195 as Garden; both are owned and occupied by William Moules Senior. [1] By the time the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map was surveyed, the L shaped building to the west of the Inn had been demolished, although the other small outbuilding appears to survive and is simply shown as part of the Inn. The main building appears to be in a similar plan form to that shown on the Tithe Map. At this time, it was labelled the White Horse Hotel. [2] The building appears to be little altered in plan since the 1st Edition map was surveyed. A group of stables has been constructed to the northwest, perhaps incorporating the original site of the L shaped building that was demolished in the 19th Century. It is now labelled the Exmoor White Horse Inn. [3] The White Horse Inn was run by the Tarr family in c.1895, along with the other inn in the village (now the Crown Hotel). [4] The White Horse overlooks the three arched bridge and attests to the growth of Exmoor tourism in c.1900. [5] The White Horse had a second storey over the stables known as the Club Room. Here "a great deal of the social life of the village took place". This included the Club Dinner of the Ancient Order of Foresters, and it was used as a temporary school when the village school was being built (MEM24568). [6] In 1962, the White Horse had 9 single and 11 double rooms. It had been recently damaged by fire, which had destroyed the kitchen premises. [7]