The Ring of Bells – the Phoenix Arisen.

Wednesday 13^th January 2016 was a black day for the village of North Bovey on Dartmoor in Devon, when fire swept through the thatch of the village pub, The Ring of Bells, reducing the main part of the Grade II listed 13^th century hostelry to a charred shell.

The building was likely a farmhouse until the 15^th century, with the Stable Bar area for animals and the Snug Bar more ornate, rather like a grand hall with living quarters.  The fireplace at the restaurant end revealed a large bread oven, which probably served as the village bakery. 

The dilemma was how to re-build the pub as a commercially viable entity for the 21^st century and beyond, yet retain as many of the historic features as possible, and maintain its popularity with locals and visitors alike.

There was much planning work involved between the Dartmoor National Park, English Heritage and the architects to maintain the original character of the pub whilst benefitting from modern 21^st century building regulations, without resorting to a pastiche “Disneyfication”.