Haven Cottage

Haven Cottage

This cottage and former outbuilding dates from the 17th century and 19th century. It is built with a partial timber frame to the north end, brick walls (some faced with roughcast render), multi-pane timber casement windows, and clay-tiled roofs.

The cottage faces west and comprises two main building phases. The earliest part is the 17th century cottage, which was extended to the south in the 19th century and connected to an earlier outbuilding. A rear passageway and second stairs were probably added in the 20th century.

The exterior presents primarily roughcast render elevations under a steeply pitched clay tile roof. The front elevation comprises three bays at ground floor level: from the left, a tripartite casement window under a flat arch, followed by two 20th century tripartite casement windows under segmental arches. The attic storey features a 20th century tripartite dormer window with gabled roof and casement. The main roof is hipped with a gablet to the north end and half-hipped to the south. There are two brick chimney stacks: one within the hip at the northern end (partially obscuring the gablet) and another on the ridge. The single-storey former outbuilding to the south end is set back and has a 20th century casement window under a flat arch with a gabled roof and end ridge stack.

The rear (east) elevation is brick-built in English garden bond under a deep catslide roof. It has three bays of 20th century casement windows and two gabled dormers to the attic level with 20th century tripartite casement windows. The former outbuilding at the southern end is set back with a 20th century glazed entrance door and a single 20th century casement window.

The north elevation (the original 17th century cottage) is brick-built in unknown bond and comprises three bays. It has a timber-planked door to the west side with a later inserted glazed panel, a small casement window to the centre, and a 20th century entrance door at the eastern end.

The south side elevation is formed by the gable-ended former outbuilding, which has an outshut and is faced in roughcast render.

Internally, the original two-storey cottage has a northern entrance, vestibule and kitchen to the ground floor and a bedroom to the first floor, accessed by a winder stair. At the centre, the two-storey 19th century extension contains two rooms at ground floor level and two bedrooms at first floor level, accessed by a later staircase from the rear passage. The central bedroom interconnects to the 17th century cottage bedroom. To the south end is an attached single-storey former outbuilding (barn or smithy) containing a single room with shower room and an entrance to the east side.

On the ground floor, the vestibule to the original 17th century cottage has timber planked doors with simple architraves of 17th century character. The ground floor room has a spine beam with run-out stops, supported at the east end by a reused timber beam and block. The interior wall to the south was originally external. It features a pegged timber box frame standing on a plinth, consisting of posts, a mid-rail and groundsill. The posts are scored with carpenters' marks. The panels are infilled with brick, including a former opening to the west side which appears to retain its 17th century architrave. The fireplace at the northern end has been infilled and the floor is concrete. A winder staircase at the north-eastern corner of the room is probably in its original position and configuration. The bedroom above has a planked door to a small cupboard and is otherwise fitted with 20th century cupboards. The roof structure consists of roughly squared rafters jointed at the apex and held by continuous purlins just above the 20th century ceiling level. Some 20th century rafters have been added.

The 19th century extension contains two rooms at ground floor level connected to the later rear passageway by multi-pane 20th century doors. The opening to the central example has a substantial lintel with heavy scoring and an unused mortice joint. In the centre of the floor frame is a spine beam with pyramid stops. Both of these timbers have probably been reused from the earlier part of the building. In the north wall at the western end is a blocked-up opening with a 17th century architrave. The other room has a small brick fireplace. The fixtures and fittings of both rooms are otherwise 20th century and the floors are concrete. The two bedrooms above have 20th century fitted cupboards and doors. Ceiling damage shows evidence of lath and plaster construction. The straight stairs are probably 19th century. The former outbuilding has a small brick-built fireplace and concrete floor, with 20th century doors and fittings.