MEM23990 - The Exmoor Stores, Exford (Building)

A large building is shown on the Tithe Map at SS 8536 3842, facing a triangular road junction to the south. It is labelled 1182, together with various outbuildings to the northwest, at SS 8534 3843, SS 8532 3844 and SS 8532 3845; these are jointly described as "Shop and Smithy" in the accompanying Tithe Apportionment, owned by Courtney Sage and occupied by Nicholas Orwood. It appears that the main building was the shop and the smithy may have been in one of the outbuildings. [1,2] The 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map shows a range of buildings between SS 8531 3844 and SS 8535 3842, the majority of which have a range of outbuildings to the rear (north). It is not clear to what extent these incorporate the buildings situated on the site previously. The buildings at the northwestern end are labelled smithy and Post Office. [3] The buildings still appear to be extant in much the same plan depicted on the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map. The northwesternmost building in the range is currently labelled as a Post Office. [4] A photograph of the site taken in the late 19th Century shows the range of buildings. The southeastern half of the range was functioning as a shop, with a fixed canopy above the ground floor windows and entrance and an arched passageway shown at the very end of the range. The first floor elevation has been painted with the words "EXMOOR STORES". This arrangement is repeated on a more modern photograph on the same page, but with a shop sign on the canopy replacing the painted name of the shop. N.B. The historic photograph is thought to date to c1895 within the book; however, place name evidence of the Crown Hotel, next door to the row (MEM23989) shows that the photograph must date prior to 1889, when the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map was surveyed. This is corroborated because the Inn was at that time shown to house the Post Office, which the 1st Edition map records had since moved to the row of houses. [5,2] The building was described as Exmoor Stores with a Post Office and general store in 1962. [6]