Thatched Cottage

This is a small house, dating to around 1500, that was remodelled in the 17th century, altered around the early 19th century, and extended in the 19th and 20th centuries. The main structure is timber-framed, although the external walls are largely replaced with painted Flemish bond brick from around the early 19th century. Timber-framed extensions are present at both ends of the house; the western extension has brick nogging, while the eastern extension is boarded over. The roof is thatched, with clay tiles at the rear. Brick stacks are located within the extensions.

Originally, the house was a small two-bay dwelling. The west bay was open to the roof and originally heated by an open-hearth fire, while the east bay had an unheated ground floor room with a chamber above. These bays were initially separated by a closed truss. In the 17th century, a floor was inserted into the hall, creating a second chamber above, and a stack was added to the west end, serving the hall but not the upper chamber. Around the early 19th century, much of the original timber framing was replaced with brick. Extensions were added to both ends during the 19th century, and a single-storey wing was built at the rear in the 20th century.

The south front, which has three windows, is asymmetrical. It features 2- and 3-light casement windows with glazing bars, and a plank front door located slightly to the right of the centre. There are two dormers in the thatched roof, each with a small 2- and 3-light casement window. The west side extension reveals timber framing with painted brick nogging. The east side extension is fully boarded over. The rear (north) elevation includes a 20th-century brick wing with a gable and casement windows on the right, and an eyebrow eaves over a small attic casement, with a 20th-century weatherboarded outshut below.

The east room features a chamfered axial beam without run-out stops, and unchamfered joists. It has a late 19th-century brick fireplace. The west room, originally the hall, has a chamfered axial beam with straight-cut stops at one end, ceiled joists, and a later brick fireplace. The roof structure includes tie-beam and collar queen-strut trusses. The central truss, originally closed, is smoke-blackened on the hall side only. Additional features include clasped-purlins, short straight wind-braces, common-rafter couples and thatching battens. The west (hall) bay has smoke-blackened timbers, including battens, but not the thatch.

This building is a rare example of a small late medieval hall house.