Ford Cottage

Ford Cottage is a house dating back to the 17th century, with later alterations and an internal remodelling around 1970. It is constructed of colourwashed rubblestone, with rendered cob in the upper parts, and has a thatched roof now covered in Norfolk reed, with a heavy ridge and gabled ends. Eaves have been raised over the windows on the south front and extended to form a porch roof at the rear, beyond a semi-circular projection for an oven. There's an axial brick stack on the west end and to the left of what was formerly a cross passage.

Originally, the house was two storeys, but is now single-storey and single-depth. It likely began as a three-room plan, with a hall on the left containing a fireplace backing onto a cross passage and a staircase in a rear projection (now a back door). Beyond the hall was an inner room, seemingly heated when extended close to a stream. A service area at the east end was probably rebuilt on the south side, and was later used as a workshop.

The south front has a long, low and irregular arrangement of windows. From the left, there are 19th-century two-light casements with six panes to each light, and a 19th-century plank door with carved 18th-century brackets recreated as console brackets for a cantilevered porch. A 20th-century door with cover strips is at the entrance to the widened cross passage which now serves as a workshop. A 19th-century five-light fixed window, featuring lapped glass between thin mullions, is also present. A small window sits to the right. The first-floor windows include 20th-century two-light timber casements with four panes each and a 19th or 20th-century timber fixed light of six panes, with leaded panes.

Internally, a 20th-century kitchen has been added to the right half of the original hall. The partition between the hall and inner room, and the first-floor, have been removed. The fireplace lintel in the west room is chamfered and has run-out stops, along with a cloam oven. The lintel is also cambered. The west room has a slate floor. Remnants of a pegged collar-rafter roof are visible in the former service end; the architect’s report indicates the remainder of the trusses are simple collar trusses.

The house was remodelled around 1970 for the Landmark Trust by Paul Pearn of Plymouth.