Hollow Bottom Cottage

A cottage, dated 1739 (as scratched into the brickwork on the front elevation), with a probable mid-18th century rear extension and a late 19th century left side addition, and 20th century replacement windows. The original part of the cottage has front and right side elevations of Flemish bond brickwork with red brick stretched and grey brick leaders. The left side elevation is cement-rendered. A red brick stack is partially external on the right side. The roof is gambrel-shaped, with the lower part tiled and the upper part pantiled. The cottage is two storeys and has attics, originally with space for one window, though now with one window facing forward. A flat-roofed dormer with a casement window is on the second floor. The first floor has a renewed sash window with vertical glazing bars, horns, and leaded lights on the right side; the left side window was bricked up at the time of the window tax. On the ground floor, there’s a renewed sash with a cambered head, leaded lights, and horns on the right side. The early 19th century doorcase has a flat wooden hood on brackets, a moulded architrave, and a four-panelled door. A moulded wooden eaves cornice runs around the top, and there is a "Hand in Hand" insurance plaque. The rear of the cottage has a mid-19th century extension of two storeys constructed from brown brick with a slate roof, featuring one casement window and two plank doors. A late 19th century, single-storeyed lean-to extension of stock brick is on the left side, with four 20th century windows. Inside, the living room has an 18th century plank cupboard with iron hinges to the right of the fireplace, and an 18th century three-panelled door leading to the original wooden winder staircase on the left. A beaded four-panelled door, set within a moulded architrave, leads to the rear. Dado panelling is likely from the late 19th century. Upstairs, the front bedroom has a plank cupboard door with iron hinges, while the rear bedroom door is a two-panelled door cut down from a larger doorcase. A three-panelled door leads to a room on the second floor. The fire insurance was renewed in 1761, at which time the building was described as a brick house in a garden. In the late 19th century, the cottage was occupied by a gamekeeper to Sundridge Park. Records of 18th century owners, detailed in "Not a Mile from Milk Street" by Andrew J Martin, are available from insurance records.