Scarlets

Scarlets is a late medieval building, possibly a hall, located on Furnace Lane in Cowden. It has undergone alterations, notably in the 16th century, and includes modern gabled additions at each end. The roof structure is of a queen strut type, featuring side purlins and wind braces. The central section of the building is two storeys high. The ground floor exhibits exposed framing with vertical half-timbering and plaster infilling. It contains a range of restored lattice windows of differing sizes, alongside a small 16th-century oak door with a carved four-centred head, accessible by two stone steps. A more modern door is positioned to the left. The building has a plinth of random stone, and a projecting tiled croft, supported by roughly carved brackets, covers the ground-floor windows. The upper floor is tile-hung, with lattice windows, eaves and a bracket gutter, all under a tile roof. A chimney stack rises from the ridge. Inside, a 16th-century inglenook fireplace features a carved bracket centrally. There’s also some good 18th-century panelling and a section of a church pew incorporated into a panelled dado. The building has historical connections to the former local iron industry. The rear elevation is characterised by exposed framing with plaster infilling above and brickwork below, incorporating three original windows.