19th century Bakehouse, Near Ramsey (EHER 3408)

Bakery built possibly in AD 1828 to accompany the wind mill (EHER 3391). Little is known about the building's history but it is though to incorporate a dated brick of 1808 over its doorway. It is though to be associated with a windmill sited to the north; and the approach track to the windmill site passes the north side of the bakehouse. The bakehouse is a single-storey T shaped building. The main range has a rendered and painted exterior below a slate roof covering. There are no distinctive features which identify the building's former function although an original oven is said to be intact. The bakehouse remained operational as part of a bakery until the 1970s. In 2005 it was converted to residential use.

Bakery built possibly in AD 1828 to accompany the wind mill (EHER 3391). <1> Site Management: The last baker retired in 1976. <1> Information from NRHE The applicant has provided very little information concerning the building's history, but states that the building incorporates a dated brick of 1808 over its doorway. The building is thought to be associated with a windmill sited to the north of the bakehouse, and occupies a site at the eastern end of a long plot of land, at the western end of which stands the windmill and Windmill House, which is also listed. The approach track to the windmill site passes the north side of the bakehouse. The bakehouse remained operational as part of a bakery until the 1970s and the applicant asserts that the building is `historically important to the area, particularly the currently intact oven'. In 2005, a planning appeal allowed the conversion of the building to residential use, and the Appeal Inspector made no reference to any known historical or architectural significance of the building. The current application plans make no reference to an extant old bakery oven. The bakehouse is a single-storeyed T-shaped building sited to the rear of a dwelling on the frontage of The Street . The main range which runs roughly parallel to the street line has a rendered and painted exterior below a slate roof covering. This has a plain plank door and a single 4 over 4 pane sash window. The north gable has a large and now partially blocked opening below a smaller window set in the gable apex. A slightly lower wing extends from the rear wall. This is built of red brick with a twentieth century clay pantile roof covering. The upper part of the rear gable is covered in horizontal boarding, and incorporates a 2-light window. There are no distinctive features which identify the building's former function, and the applicant has supplied no internal photographs showing the former oven. The former bakehouse is a small, functionally detailed and architecturally plain building. It lacks any distinguishing features by which its former function might be identified, and appears to have lost the chimney which would have vented the oven when in use. The suggested historical association with the windmill seems highly likely, but this in itself is not of sufficient weight to justify a listing recommendation. The building is said to retain an oven, the date or type of which has not been identified by the applicant. Again, this in itself does not substantiate the claim to special interest. The building does not form part of a manufacturing ensemble, nor is there significant group value with the windmill and Windmill House some distance away. In certain circumstances, a detached oven or kitchen can be said to be of special interest, if of early date, and clearly closely associated with another listed building, as, for example with a detached kitchen to a timber-framed house, or a bakehouse as a component of a service range to a country house. However, in this instance, the bakehouse, whilst remaining of strong local interest as a facility enjoyed by the local community, is not of sufficient special interest to justify a listing recommendation. <2>