Spring Cottage

FOREST ROW GILHAM LANE TQ 43 SW (north side) 11/735 Spring Cottage II

House. Late C16 or possibly early C17; altered later in C17 and subsequently. Rubblestone plinth; timber framing with plastered wattle and daub infill, the ground floor underbuilt in late C18-early C19 pinkish brick in Flemish bond, and the 1st floor of front and right return tile-hung with pointed tiles at front (probably late C19). Plain tile roof. 2 storeys with attic; originally of 2 bays with smoke bay at left end, chimney inserted in smoke bay, probably 2nd half Cl7; and bay added at left end, probably C17. Late-C20 outshut addition at right end and conservatory at left end not of special interest. Entrance front: mid-late C20 gabled porch on right; to its left 3 diamond-leaded casement windows of 2,2 and 3 lights, the 2nd window is bricked-up former doorway (in line with stack); on 1st floor two 2-light, small-pane, C20 casements; roof skylight; roof hipped on left, over added bay, with brick stack at left end. Rear: timber frame, exposed on 1st floor, has midrail and tall panels with slightly curved lower tension braces; 3 windows on each floor with C20 small-pane casements, that to ground floor centre bracketed out under pent roof; those on 1st floor small and probably in original window openings. Skylight on left. Right return: 2-light attic window with old, diamond-leaded iron-framed left hand light. Interior: timber frame has jowelled posts, curved lower tension braces and framed partition between right- hand bays on ground and 1st floors. Central bay on ground floor has large scant- ling spine-beam with broad chamfer and lambs tongue stops; chamfered and similarly- stopped joists; chimney built of large sandstone blocks, the fireplace with chamfered timber bressummer and 2 alcoves at rear. 1st floor room above this has old, broad, floorboards; brick fireplace with old, board, strap-hinged cupboard door to left; and in front wall plate, mortices from a former 6-light ovolo-moulded wood mullion window (2 mullions survive). Right-hand lst-floor room has large- scantling chamfered spine-beam. Attic: the floor has been raised; window in right gable has mortices from a former 3-light window with diamond set wood mullions. Roof has queen-post trusses except for raking queen-strut truss between right-hand bays (to allow easy passage); clasped purlins; straight windbraces. Inside former smoke bay the roof timbers and plaster are smoke-blackened.

Listing NGR: TQ4232434955