Rylands Cottage

Rylands Cottage

An early to mid-16th century timber-framed house that was re-fronted in the later 18th or early 19th century when a catslide roof was added to the north side. The building was substantially refurbished in the late 20th century, with re-fenestration within existing openings and the addition of a porch on the east side and an extension on the south-west side. These 20th century additions are not of special architectural interest.

The building is timber-framed and clad in red brick, predominantly in Flemish bond on the ground floor, with painted brick on the north and part of the west sides. The first floor is tile-hung. The roof is hipped and tiled with brick chimneystacks.

The original plan was rectangular with three bays, probably following a lobby entry arrangement with an off-central entrance from the east into the central ground floor room. An outshot was added at the north end in the later 18th or early 19th century, and the first floor ceilings were heightened at this time. The 1980s additions of an east porch and south-west extension altered the plan to an L-shape with a projection on the east side.

The east elevation, probably the original entrance front, has a tile-hung first floor with three later 20th century casement windows. The ground floor was re-fronted in the late 18th or early 19th century in Flemish bond brickwork with some grey headers. A later 20th century porch stands off-centre. The north end displays painted brick exterior to the outshut. The north side features the late 18th or early 19th century catslide roof over painted brick. The south side of the original building is tile-hung over brick, with the western half being later 20th century work in matching materials. An early 19th century brick external chimneystack is visible here. The west side has a later 20th century two-storey addition in stretcher bond with tile-hanging above, and a single-storey addition to the end. Beneath a penticed roof is the 18th century ground floor of painted brick and the 16th century first floor timber frame with mid-rail and curved wind brace.

Internally, the north ground floor room (kitchen) retains the exposed former north external wall of the 16th century house, which includes four timber-framed panels with a mid-rail, interrupted centrally for a later opening and with a later catslide roofed outshut attached. The ground floor frame below was removed when the outshot was attached, but a beam retains sockets for the top of an original window. The ceiling beams are probably late 18th or early 19th century.

The central ground floor room has exposed ceiling beams featuring a spine beam with one and a half inch chamfers and narrower chamfered joists. The open fireplace has a wooden bressumer and the brickwork behind appears to be 19th century. The cill plate of the 16th century original east external wall is visible in the later 20th century south-west extension.

A late 20th century half-winder staircase leads to the upper floor, which has a largely intact 16th century timber frame. All eight principal posts with jowls, all four tie beams, two wall plates, almost the entire mid-rails and almost all small panel frames survive. There is evidence for three mullion windows. Both 16th century internal partitions survive, the north one interrupted by an 18th century brick chimneystack.

The south-west bedroom in the extension displays a visible 16th century mid-rail, curved brace, corner post from the original 16th century external wall, and the reverse of this wall is shown adjoining the staircase. A three plank door is also present. The adjoining shower room has an exposed wall frame with mid-rail, corner post and cast iron pintle door hinges. The south bedroom/office contains an exposed 16th century splayed principal post, wall plate, tie beam, mid-rails and small panel framing, with peg holes providing evidence for the diagonal braces on the south wall.

The central bedroom exposes the original frame with mid-rail, corner post and wattle and daub panels. The fireplace features 18th century brickwork in English garden wall bond. The ceiling was heightened in the 18th century. The north room, currently a bathroom, contains the 16th century frame with evidence of a 16th century queen post, the top of the later catslide roof and the upper part of an 18th century brick chimneystack.

A number of plank doors survive on the first floor. The 16th century roof structure of clasped purlins with curved wind-braces and queen-posts appears intact, with parts of a hazel wattle and daub partition visible. The pegged rafters lack a ridge-piece.