The Bell, Moretonhampstead

The Bell is a former pub and an undesignated heritage asset located centrally in the busy Dartmoor market town of Moretonhampstead. The two-storey building closed its doors as a pub over 5 years ago and has since been vacant.

The proposals seek to provide a full repair and refurbishment of the building. A new health food restaurant ‘HIPPO’ will take over the ground floor and to the rear of the building, the existing first floor ‘dancing room’ will be maintained as a community space for the Med Theatre with its own separate access from the lane. New access is proposed from Cross Street to a residential lobby for two new flats on the first floor.

The existing building boasts a mix of styles in its construction which is likely due to rebuilding after fire damage. It is understood that two cottages once stood on the site in 1639 and in 1700 a third cottage was added. By the mid 1700s, the building became an Inn, which is evident from early surviving licensing records in Moretonhampstead. While there is nothing of the Devon vernacular about the Bell and although it is quite different from any of its neighbouring contexts, it makes an outstanding contribution to the townscape. Although the building is unlisted, it holds a strong significance due to its striking appearance and its long history as a social community centre.