PLANS have been revealed to expand accommodation for visitors at one of Devon’s oldest pubs.

The new owners of the historic Cridford Inn in Trusham want to improve facilities at the 1,200-year-old thatched building to bring in more business.

The proposals are to convert two holiday cottages on the site into eight, individual en-suite bedrooms.

Built in AD 825, the pub itself, which is now Grade II listed, is a former Devon longhouse which was remodelled in 1081.

That date was discovered in the mosaic floor under the cobbles when repairs were carried out.

It had previously been a nunnery and farm.

The pub was sold for more than £295,000 in May and the new owners, who also own the Nobody Inn at Doddiscomsleigh, are keen to invest in the business and increase capacity to accommodate overnight guests.

While the cottages themselves are not listed, they are within the curtilage of the listed pub.

A statement to planners by Paul Humphries Architects said: ‘We believe the proposals would be a sensitive and positive contribution to the care and constructive continuous use of the buildings as a public house by providing additional, more flexible letting accommodation in the form of additional en-suite bedrooms.

‘The client is keen to invest in the business by increasing the capacity of the overnight accommodation which is key to increasing the revenue stream of the business.’

A decision is expected in January.