Keepers Cottage

Keeper's Cottage

A cottage probably built in the late 16th or early 17th century, possibly on an earlier core, with a southern bay added or partly rebuilt in the later 17th century and a northern bay added in the later 18th or early 19th century. The current footprint was established by 1870. The building appears to have been subdivided into single cell units during the later 19th or early 20th century.

The building is constructed from small framed timber-framing with some bracing on the southern elevation below the mid rail, with brick-nogging infill. The plinths are flint and brick. The brickwork varies from 17th or 18th century non-standard brick to modern standard brick. The south-east and south-west walls are painted. The southern gable wall is faced or replaced in 19th century brick. The northern gable is largely weatherboarded. Steeply pitched tile roofs with half-hipped detail at the southern gable are supported by brick stacks.

The building comprises four cells, with the central two appearing to have formed a two-cell building under a single wind-braced side purlin roof. A large stack at the southern end of the southern cell has been capped below the roofline. The cross wall between the cells has a substantial cill which was possibly formerly an external wall. A high mid-rail with indents for floor joists on both elevations of the frame may indicate an earlier floor level prior to introduction of the stairs. The main entrance on the southern elevation is positioned in lobby entry opposite the main stack. There is a blocked entrance opposite the base of the stairs. To the south is a slightly later two-storey timber-framed bay with a side purlin roof, possibly built as a cross wing and since altered. To the north is a later timber-framed bay with a brick external gable-end stack. The rear (north-west facing) elevation has two outshuts: the southernmost built of brick in two builds with a tile roof and two brick stacks, and the northernmost timber-framed and brick-nogged with a slate roof.

The main entrance on the south-east elevation has a door with moulded muntins and ornate strap hinges beneath a tile canopy. Windows throughout are generally later 20th century timber casements, some with small panes, one with a shallow canopy. At the rear is a three-light metal-framed casement with rectangular leaded lights. Openings in the south-west gable wall have cambered brick arches. A rebuilt semi-circular structure, possibly an oven, occupies the north-west angle.

Early to mid-20th century stairs are set in the third bay, which at upper floor level is subdivided to create a landing. The upper floor sits below mid-rail height. The wind-braced side-purlin roof extending over both central bays is partly visible beneath an inserted ceiling, with the ridge piece appearing to be added. The southernmost bay has a deep ground floor axial ceiling beam supported internally on a reset chamfered timber pier with deep joists. The purlins do not align with those on the main roof. Internal doors are of ledge and brace construction; some in the northernmost bay have slender strap hinges. Principal architraves leading from the lobby are moulded.

The cottage possibly originated as a small hall house, examples of which survive in Wokingham and Sonning. It lies on the outskirts of modern Sonning to the south of the A4, which now separates it from the core of the village, and north of the railway which separated it from the nearest village, Woodley. The name Keeper's Cottage implies it was an estate cottage. 19th century Ordnance Survey maps show it on the edge of woodland. It has been suggested that it may relate to hunting grounds in Sonning held by the Bishop of Salisbury in the late 16th century, but there is no proof of this association. The cottage is marked on Rocque's map of circa 1761 and appears with its current footprint on the 1822 Enclosure map and 1870 Ordnance Survey map. Sonning lies on the River Thames and contains a rich diversity of historic timber-framed and brick buildings.