MEM22787 - World War One barrack hut at Blackpits or Blackpitts (Building)

Originally likley to have been a hospital doctors or officers accommodation hut, the building was purchased by the Fortescue estate after the end of World War One and relocated to Blackpits in 1920, where it was converted into shepherd's accommodation.

The building was the subject of documentary research and survey. It was purchased by the Fortescue estate after the end of World War One and relocated to Blackpits in 1920, where it was converted into shepherd's accommodation. The survey suggested that of the original structure, only the the wooden frame and corrugated iron of the wall remained (although it was conceded that even the latter may have been replaced). The interior was removed, and the roof has been replaced with newer materials and is of a steeper pitch to cope with heavy snowfall. [1] The barn is depicted but not labelled on 2020 MasterMap data. [2] Historic building recording was undertaken on the structure in 2026 ahead of its dismantling. The report mapped out the internal structure, describing the surviving fireplaces and stoves, including one with a 1918 inscription referring to the Fortescue Estate at Castle Hill, Bakelite internal elements and the details of the construction itself. Research undertaken as part of the report confirmed the history of the building as having been originally constructed during World War I and then moved to its present location from South Molton in 1920. It suggests the structure may have been used during World War II training nearby on Exmoor, but concluded there is no direct evidence for this. [3]