Thistles Wenhams Cottages

Thistles and Wenhams Cottages

Two cottages formerly comprising a single farmhouse, dated circa 1436 by dendrochronological analysis. The building retains a medieval timber-framed structure with 16th and 17th century improvements. Late 19th century alterations divided the house into two cottages, and both were modernised circa 1980. The ground floor is underbuilt with 19th and 20th century brick, while above first floor level the timber frame is clad with painted weatherboards. The building features a brick stack and staggered chimneyshaft, with a peg-tile roof.

Originally a medieval hall house with a three-room plan facing south-east. The left (south-west) end contained the inner room with a solar or master chamber above, jetted at the end. Adjacent to this was a two-bay hall, originally open to the roof and heated by an open hearth fire. A through passage likely existed at the right end, with a service room beyond, which was storied from the beginning and may also have been jetted. In the 16th century, a timber-framed axial stack was built into the hall backing onto the passage, but this was replaced by the present brick stack in the early 17th century when the hall was floored. In the late 19th century, the passage and service room end was rebuilt at ground floor level, the internal partitions were removed, and a fireplace was built backing onto the 17th century stack, probably in association with the division into two cottages. Number 1 now occupies the 19th century room on the site of the original passage and service room; Number 2 occupies the former hall and inner room end.

The house is two storeys with various single-storey extensions from circa 1960 and circa 1980 to the rear and a lean-to outshot on the right end.

The front has an irregular four-window elevation of 20th century casements without glazing bars. Both cottages have front doorways at their respective ends, both containing 19th century doors; the right one (Number 1) is sheltered behind a 20th century gabled porch. A large post in the centre of the front wall is the medieval wall post for the crown post truss. A first floor jetty at the left end is carried on large joists. The roof is tall and steeply pitched, hipped at both ends, and to the right it extends down over the 20th century kitchen.

The interior preserves the structure of the late medieval hall house well. Some framing is exposed at first floor level, most completely visible on the right (north-east) end wall from inside the outshot roof, showing two large bays with curving tension braces to the corner posts lapping over the fronts of the studs and including a blocked two-light window divided by the central post. The crosswall at the upper end of the hall (in Number 2) is well-preserved, though plastered over at ground floor level. On the hall side is a dais rail just below first floor level, richly moulded with mostly beads and hollow chamfers and a crest of pierced brattishing. At first floor level, large curving tension braces support the central post, and above the tie-beam the crown post has curving down braces. A similar crosswall originally existed at the lower end of the hall (in Number 1) but has been demolished at ground floor level and underpinned by a 19th century crossbeam. At the left end (in Number 2), the inner room ceiling is carried on close-set plain joists of heavy scantling oversailing the end wall to carry the solar jetty. Mortises along the underside of one of the joists suggest the inner room was originally divided into two small rooms. The present stairs in the inner room at the front end appear to occupy the site of the original stairs.

In the hall (Number 2), an axial crossbeam is chamfered with scroll-stops and a large brick fireplace has a chamfered oak lintel with runout stops. The medieval roof is essentially intact with two bays between closed trusses at each end. The central truss has a cambered tie beam set in normal assembly fashion on large wall posts with jowled heads. Large chamfered arch-braces descend well below first floor level. Above sits an octagonal crown post with moulded cap and base and four-way bracing. Common rafter couples are notched with lap-jointed collars. The hall roof is heavily smoke-blackened from the original open hearth fire. The structure continues past the stack into Number 1, where evidence of the 16th century timber-framed stack is visible around the stack. The hipped roofs at each end are essentially original and are not smoke-blackened.