MSO12071 - Post-medieval southern wall of Dunster Churchyard (Building)

Part of the south wall of the churchyard with a gateway, built of rubble sandstone with dressed stone copings. It includes a large arched recess which it is suggested may have accommodated either stocks or a public trough.

Probably early /mid 19th century. Rubble sandstone with dressed stone copings. About 6 feet high with a large arched recess at left-hand end which formerly accommodated the stocks. Gateway to right-hand adjoining No 18 Church Street. Rubble with Ham stone coping and dressings. 4-centred moulded arch. [1] English Heritage Listed Building Number: 264662. First Listed on 22/05/1969. [2] The 2002 Conservation Area Character Appraisal for Dunster states "Also listed are two lengths of wall. The first is in two sections between nos. 16 and 18 …the second of similar date [early-mid 19th Century] fronts the churchyard with an arched recess at the left hand end which reputedly contained the village stocks. The gateway giving access to no. 18 has Hamstone coping and dressings with a fourcentred moulded arch." [3] Another suggestion for the function of the arched recess come from Aston and Leech, who state that St. Leonard's Well supplied water by conduit to the priory and then to two public troughs, one in the churchyard wall, and another situated formerly at the south end of the High Street. [4] The wall and gateway were visited in April 2012 as part of the rapid condition survey of Exmoor's Listed Buildings 2012-13. They received a BAR score of 5A. [5] The wall is depicted as the southern boundary of the churchyard only on 2018 MasterMap data and is not labelled. [6]