Little Thatch

Little Thatch is a cottage probably dating from the late 17th century. The original building consists of a two-bay rectangular range of one and a half storeys. A single-storey north-west range was probably added in the 1960s but has since been replaced by 1982 with a longer range and an additional cross-wing at the south-west end, which replaced an earlier lean-to. The thatch that originally covered the late 17th-century range was replaced with clay tiles around the time of these 20th-century additions.

The original late 17th-century range is constructed with black-painted box timber-framing with probably largely 20th-century white-painted brick infill laid in stretcher bond. The later ranges are of white-painted brick. The fenestration is of late 20th-century timber-framed casement windows, some double-glazed, with applied leaded glazing bars and timber sills. The clay tile roofs now cover what were originally thatch.

The south-east front elevation of the late 17th-century range displays exposed timber-framing to the upper floor consisting of elements of the girding beam, studs and braces. A small square window of late 20th-century date sits below the eaves. Above the entrance is a late 20th-century semi-dormer with a pair of tall two-light casements with leaded lights and a hipped roof. The entrance itself has a late 20th-century brick porch with an arch and lead-covered flat-topped roof with tile slopes. Either side of the entrance are tripartite windows. The slightly projecting late 20th-century cross-wing at the south-east end has a gable end with symmetrical fenestration: a long tripartite window on the ground floor, a pair of double-casements on the first floor, and a small rectangular window at the apex of the gable. The windows have concrete lintels with timber facings, and those on the first floor are framed by purely decorative timber elements inserted into the brickwork. The projecting eaves have plain bargeboards.

The half-hipped north-east gable end of the late 17th-century range retains its timber-framing above ground-floor level, including a queen-post truss with rendered infill and studs and braces below the tie-beam. The ground floor wall projects slightly, suggesting a later rebuild or over-cladding. A timber casement in the apex of the gable, set between the queen posts, replaces a small window that was present in the 1960s. Below, a tripartite window is set under lead flashing covering the top of the projecting wall. The north-east elevation of the late 20th-century single-storey extension has a pair of tripartite windows.

The north-west rear elevation has a short section of late 20th-century walling with a cat-slide extension of the main roof and a tripartite window without leaded glazing, set between the single-storey extension and the two-storey cross-wing. This now encloses the north-west wall of the late 17th-century range, which has become an internal feature. The returns to both wings have tripartite windows. The gable end of the cross-wing has tripartite windows with timber lintels on the ground and first floors and a small window in the apex of the gable. Decorative timber-framing appears below the first-floor window. The south-west elevation of the cross-wing comprises three bays with symmetrical fenestration of tripartite windows with timber lintels and decorative timber-framing below the first-floor windows. A rebuilt brick chimney stack stands at the junction of the original range and cross-wing.

The interior of the late 17th-century range is a two-bay, single-room space entered directly from an off-centre main entrance with a 20th-century plank and batten door. The timber-framing elements are incomplete and appear to be a mixture of original and introduced timber from various periods. The chamfered spine beam in the south-western part of the room has a short run-out stop. The beam to the north-eastern part is supported on one of two later posts set on brick piers running across the centre of the room, and is also chamfered with a short run-out stop. The original girding beams survive in the north-eastern part of the room and in the south-eastern wall of the south-western part. On the north-western wall they appear to have been replaced. The joists are largely later machine-cut replacements. There is some partial studwork in the north-west wall of the south-western part. The floor is concrete with a glazed tile covering. At the south-west end is a brick inglenook fireplace with a substantial timber bressumer, which may have been introduced when the fireplace was largely rebuilt in the late 20th century, including the addition of a new brick hearth and seating topped with glazed pamment tiles. On the north-west side of the fireplace is a large domed brick oven with late 20th-century brick repairs. A 20th-century opening with a plank door on the other side of the chimney gives access to the cross-wing.

A timber winder stair, probably of late 19th or early 20th-century date, with a square-section newel post and panelled cupboard underneath, is located against the north-west wall at the start of the north-east half of the room. A doorway next to the stair gives access to a corridor running along the now-internal north-west wall of the original range. This corridor retains remains of the original studwork.

In the main ground-floor room of the cross-wing, a late 20th-century timber stair encloses the chimney stack. Variations in bond, particularly the stretcher bond of the north-western slope of the stack, suggest that the chimney and possibly the oven have been partially rebuilt. The rest of the cross-wing and single-storey extension consist of 20th-century fabric and fittings.

The first floor of the original range consists of two rooms and an intermediate closet accessed off a small landing. The cross-walls at the top of the stair have studwork with brick infill. The gable walls retain the framing of the queen-post trusses. A single machine-cut rafter visible over the stairwell suggests that the roof has at least been partially replaced. Original lathe-and-plaster finishes have been replaced with modern plasterboard, and the floors have late 20th-century boarding. The first floor of the late 20th-century cross-wing is only accessible via the 20th-century stair behind the chimney stack.

The 20th-century additions to the building are of lesser architectural interest than the original 17th-century range.