A compromise has been reached concerning the future of Church Cottage, Stoke, Hartland, about which there has been some controversy.

The cottage, which is part of the small, picturesque Square fronting the path to the parish church, is owned by the Parochial Church Council.
At a meeting of Bideford Rural Council a month ago there was criticism that the re-building of the cottage in its original position would mean continuation of the traffic bottleneck on the narrow bend at this point.
The photograph above shows the cottage in its half-demolished condition.
The Rural Council, who are making a £400 grant towards its re-building, have now reported that, following a meeting at Stoke with representatives of the Church and the County highways department, it has been agreed that the cottage should be moved five feet to the west to enable the road to be widened. This is subject to agreement being reached regarding help towards the additional cost from the county highway department.
Gazette article dated 17 July 1964