Croichley Fold Cottages

Croichley Fold Cottages

A farmhouse, now converted into two dwellings (Nos 4 and 5). The building dates from the late 17th century but contains earlier fabric, with enlargement and remodelling in the 18th century and alterations made in the late 19th century. At the time of inspection in April 1992, No. 5 was unoccupied and undergoing renovation.

The building was originally cruck-framed but is now constructed of coursed sandstone rubble, with quoins to No. 5. The roof is covered in Welsh slate, with stone slate to the single-storey extension. Late 19th-century brick chimneys have been added.

The building has an irregular plan on an east-west axis. The eastern half (No. 5) was probably formerly a single-depth 2-unit end-baffle-entry plan dwelling, later remodelled as double-depth by additions to the rear, with a small extension to the east end built in the 18th century. The western half (No. 4) is set back and divided into two portions: the section adjoining No. 5 is single-depth, while the section to the left projects slightly forward and is extended to the rear beneath a carried-down roof, with a small outshut attached.

The building rises to two storeys with a single-storey extension, with a 2+2:1 window arrangement. No. 4 has a lean-to porch attached to the gable wall of No. 5. At ground floor are mullioned windows of 4 and 4 lights, and at first floor 4 and 3 lights, all with chamfered flush mullions. The 4-light windows lack one mullion each, and the 4-light window at first floor to the left has a small light inserted immediately to its right. The gable wall displays two 2-light windows on each floor, with a blocked 2-light window between those at ground floor. A chimney stands behind the ridge at the junction between the two dwellings.

No. 5, to the right, has graduated coursed rubble up to first-floor sill level, with larger rubble above (suggesting earlier raising or rebuilding). An added gabled porch is offset left of centre. At ground floor to the left is a 4-light chamfered flush mullion window lacking the centre mullion, and to the right a 5-light double-chamfered mullion window lacking two central mullions; both are topped with cavetto-moulded hoodmoulds. At first floor, a former 3-light mullioned window to the left has been altered as a 2-light casement, and a former 4-light window to the right converted to a pair of 2-light casements. The gable wall contains a blocked doorway with a triangular stone lintel, now covered by the extension. Ridge and gable chimneys are present.

A set-back single-cell single-storey extension, possibly formerly a loomshop, adjoins the main block. It features blocked doorways at the junction in both front and rear walls, chamfered flush mullion windows of 3 lights at the front and 2 at the rear, and a large inserted doorway in the gable wall.

The rear of No. 4 comprises a small outshut beneath a carried-down roof, an altered doorway, and various small casement windows with wooden lintels and altered glazing. The rear of No. 5 was recently rebuilt.

Internally, a large cruck truss was recently exposed at first-floor level in the junction wall between Nos 4 and 5, positioned on axis to the rear of the present ridge. A re-used beam survives at ground floor of No. 5. Other interior elements have been substantially altered.