Elmwood Cottages

Elmwood Cottages are a pair of semi-detached houses built in 1905 by M.H. Baillie-Scott. They were designed as an entry for the Cheap Cottage Exhibition and are based on the form of a medieval hall house, featuring a recessed central section and slightly projecting gabled wings. Modern, single-story extensions have replaced the original deeply-swept eaves on the north and south ends. The cottages have tiled roofs and brick stacks with moulded caps. The central bay is timber-framed with stud and plasterwork, while the wings have roughcast walls. Flat-topped dormers are present. The windows are three-light casements with mullions, leaded lights, and tile labels. A recessed entrance is accessed via a half-glazed door. Inside, the cottages offer an open-plan interior with a single living space, defined by the staircase and a deeply recessed inglenook fireplace. There is good quality joinery and ironmongery throughout. Although entered for the Cheap Cottage Exhibition, the design deliberately moved away from the competition’s utilitarian ideals, resulting in a particularly well-regarded entry. The cottages are arranged so as to allow them to be combined into a single dwelling, as described in Baillie-Scott's "An Architect's Confession of Faith."