Laurel Cottage

Laurel Cottage is a house that dates back to the 16th century or earlier, with alterations and extensions made in the early 18th century and mid-20th century. The building is timber framed, clad with render and applied framing, and has been extended with hammer dressed stone and painted brick. It features a plain tiled roof. Originally a three-bay framed house, it may have been a small Wealden type. The structure has two storeys on a plinth, with a plat band on the left end bay, which projects slightly at both the front and rear. The central bay is recessed. The roof is hipped and steps up to the left, with rebuilt stacks on the left and at the end right.

On the first floor, there are four wooden casements with two lights each, and on the ground floor, there are five wooden casements arranged in groups of two, three, one, and three lights, all dating from the mid-20th century. The central door is made up of six panels, and there are garage doors to the end left. The ground floor stonework of the left end bay, which was recently galleted, may have originated from the nearby and partly demolished Maison Dieu building on Ospringe Street. The exposed brick dressing on the plinth and the plat bands on both the front and rear elevations suggest that this bay was built in the 17th or 18th century.

Inside, the full frame is visible, constructed with rather slight scantling, and features arched tension bracing to the main beams. There has been some alteration to the wall plate, likely around 1700. The roof is not accessible, but early photographs show the arched braced frame exposed on the main exterior elevations.