Guerilla working party: Peppercombe, Devon

In October we gathered a group of local volunteers to carry out emergency works to a sadly neglected cottage in Peppercombe, a quiet corner of the north Devon coast. We were alerted to the building’s ruinous condition by a local resident and, over a weekend, carried out maintenance work to protect the building for the winter.

Built of rubbled stone and cob, records show that it was once a single roomed cottage – an important survival of a type of late 18th or early 19th century housing – and is currently unlisted. It is thought the structure lost is roof a decade ago and has been standing unused for many years. We were pleased to be joined by the local conservation officer and a warden from the National Trust, which owns the building.

Volunteers worked hard to clear bags of debris and salvaged reusable building materials and artefacts. A dangerously leaning wall was shored up and some self-seeded trees were removed that could cause further damage to the structure. We hope that the work undertaken will help the building survive the winter.  

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