Dell Cottage

Dell Cottage is a house dating from the 17th century, with later extensions to the west and south in the late 20th century. The structure is timber framed and either rendered or clad in brick, with the ground floor possibly originally built of brick, now featuring some 18th century and modern red and black brick. Former lean-to additions at the gables have been replaced with brick. The roof is plain-tiled and has multiple brick stacks.

The exterior consists of two storeys and three bays, with the right bay possibly being a later addition. There are single-storey lean-tos at each gable. The house originally had a lobby-entry plan, but the entrance is now located in the third bay. The external doors and windows are from the late 20th century. There is an inserted first-floor window in the south gable and full dormers added to the rear. The central bay's rear framing has been altered but still shows mortices for diamond mullions.

Inside, there is a brick chimneypiece in the central and left-hand rooms, with the left room containing the remains of an oven. Both bressumers have stop chamfers, and similar chamfer stops are found on the transverse beams. The first floor reveals exposed framing, with the roof featuring clasped purlins and arched wind braces, while the wall plate and tie beams have arched braces. There is possible evidence of a window in the central front wall plate, and the third bay has a reinforced gable wall frame. A small brick fireplace with a depressed arch is located in the central bay, above which is a pargetted panel decorated with fleur de lys and geometric strapwork. The doors to the first-floor cupboards over the lobby entrance are made of broad vertical boards with slender strap hinges and replaced latches. The left and upper chamber have broad floorboards, some of which have been altered, suggesting a former stair. The roof space above the purlins is not accessible.

Overall, Dell Cottage is a 17th-century three-bay lobby-entry house that retains a good survival of its original plan form, framing, fireplaces, and pargetted panel.