Merlins

Merlins is a cottage that dates from two building periods: the early 17th century and the late 17th to early 18th century. It features a timber frame that is plaster rendered, with some areas modern weatherboarded, and a reed thatched roof that has two ridge and eaves levels. There is a ridge stack and a 19th-century stack at the northeast end. The original early 17th-century cottage consists of one bay and the fire bay at the southwest end. The two additional bays to the northeast were constructed late in the 17th century or early in the 18th century. The early 17th-century section has two storeys and an attic, with one first-floor and two ground-floor modern wood casements featuring small panes, as well as a modern gable end attic casement. The northeast bays are one storey and attic high, with one dormer on the front and a central doorway leading to two modern wood casements.

Inside, the early 17th-century section includes the chimney bay. The post and tie beam of one early 17th-century truss is visible on the northeast side of the stack at the first floor. The intermediate truss on the southwest side of the stack has a tie beam but lacks a principal post. There is a small leaded light casement, now internal, at the end adjoining the later range. Back-to-back inglenook hearths and a northeast gable end hearth suggest that the cottage may have been subdivided into three dwellings. The structure features long straight wall bracing, while the main posts are mostly obscured. Generally, the framing in this section is lighter than in the southwest bay, and many of the joists have been inserted.