Half Thatch, 181 Main Road, Great Leighs

Cottage, C17; timber framed and rendered, with thatched roof.

EXTERIOR: the cottage is a single cell building, square in plan, of one and half storeys, rendered and painted, with textured panels imitating pargetting; a band to eaves height, between the windows in the east elevation, is decorated with a wheat sheaf. This is the main elevation, and has a dormer window and two windows below, the latter modern insertions. The thatch extends down to the north over the main entrance. The gable end of the C17 cottage has an external brick chimney stack, and the roof forms a catslide to the west over a C20 lean-to glazed addition.

INTERIOR: the interior of the cottage has one room each to ground and first floors. The north, west and east walls of the ground floor have studs resting on a sill beam, with passing braces crossing studs towards either end of each wall. The sill beam appears to be a replacement for the original, a short length of which survives to the south of the west door. The inserted windows to the east wall are framed by later, square cut studs. Apart from these, the irregular, unfinished timbers on these three walls are in contrast to the box framing of the south wall, which is regular, using straight, square cut timbers. This wall also contains an inserted brick fireplace. The ceiling has a single beam supporting joists. A section of wattle and daub has been preserved behind panelling in the west wall.

Access to the first floor is by a modern staircase in a lobby to the north, rising to a landing within the substantially C20 part of the house. In the upper room the wall plate is about 0.40m above floor level; there appear to be additional substantial timbers bolted to each wall plate, presumable for additional strength. Timbers in either gable, both studs and tie beams, are similar to those on the ground floor. The roof is of common rafter construction, the ridge concealed. Purlins and collars appear to be more recent replacements or additions.

SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: The C19 agricultural or service range, the adjoining C20 central section and the outbuilding connected by a glazed link to the house are not of special architectural or historical interest, and are not included in the listing.