Royal Oak Inn

The Royal Oak Inn, originally a church house, dates to the early 16th century, with 18th-century additions and alterations made in the 19th century. The building is constructed of rendered stone rubble, with the original stone rubble visible at the rear. It has a gable ended slate roof and three stone rubble stacks located at each gable end and one at the front. Originally a two-story building with a three-room plan, likely featuring a cross passage rather than a through passage, the ground level is higher at the rear. The building was originally heated in each of its rooms, or a lateral stack served a first-floor fireplace. An original straight-run staircase was positioned in a projection at the rear of the central room. An 18th-century single-story outbuilding was added to the right-hand side, followed by a 19th-century entrance door inserted directly beneath the front lateral stack. Later in the 19th century, outshuts were added to both the left and right-hand ends. Approximately in the 20th century, the two left-hand rooms were combined into one larger space.

The front facade is asymmetrical and features four windows. A 19th-century casement of one light with small panes is situated at the left on the first floor. The two central first-floor windows are early 19th-century hornless sash windows with sixteen panes, with a 20th-century replica to the right. On the ground floor to the left is a 20th-century French window, followed by two 20th-century two-light casements with small panes, the left-hand one being in a slightly arched opening. A 19th-century six-panel door, sheltered by a gabled doorhood supported on carved brackets, is centrally located, with a 20th-century sixteen-pane sash window to its right. A single-story 18th-century outbuilding is attached to the right-hand side, with a 19th-century lean-to attached beyond it and another at the left gable end. At the rear is a rectangular stair projection to the right of centre. A 2-light granite mullion window with segmental heads to the lights is located on the first floor to the left. A photograph, taken after plaster was removed, reveals similar blocked 2-light mullion windows towards the left end. This photograph also indicates that the ground floor window within the slightly arched opening occupies a stone arched doorway, presumed to be the original entrance.

Inside, the right-hand room has a large inglenook fireplace with two stone ovens, a monolithic granite jamb to the left, and a chamfered wooden lintel with traces of hollow step stops. There are three chamfered cross beams to the ceiling, also with hollow step stops. The left-hand room features similar ceiling beams, with one being plain, and very recent joists. The stair treads have been replaced, but the ceiling retains a distinctive stepped profile comparable to the stairs in the Church House at Walkhampton. The roof trusses in the first-hand extension are substantial, pegged at the apex, with lapped and pegged collars. The roof space over the main building was not inspected and may be of interest.