Golden Gear And Kennel Cottages

Golden Gear and Kennel Cottages is a house that has been used as a customs house since 1780. It now serves as a house and an adjoining former sail loft, which has been converted into two cottages. The building dates from the 18th century and the early to mid-19th century. It is constructed of shale rubble, with the 18th-century section rendered at the front, and features granite sills and some jambstones. The former sail loft has shallow brick arches. The roof is made of scantle slate, hipped over the 18th-century part, and is topped with handmade crested clay ridge tiles from the 18th century.

The overall layout is L-shaped, likely originally designed with a two-room plan that includes a central passage and stair. At the rear of the stair, there is a two-storey projection with an original barred lookout window on the first floor, probably added around 1780 when the house was adapted for customs use. In the 19th century, a sail loft was constructed at right angles in front of the right side of the house, which was later converted into two cottages. The left room of the original house was divided by an axial partition.

The building is two storeys high, featuring an irregular south-west 18th-century front with a one-window layout and the former sail loft projecting forward from the right. There is a doorway near the angle with a panelled door, a window slightly left of the doorway, and a first-floor window positioned midway between two-light casements. The cottages have a three-window north-west front with entrances at the rear. The ground floor left, first floor left at the adjoining angle, and the middle first-floor window are original 12-pane two-light horizontal sliding sashes. The interior of the house (Golden Gear) includes an 18th-century straight flight stair and a two-panel door below it, while other features are from the 19th century, although the floor and roof structures are likely from the 18th century. The property is located in an unspoiled area along the Helford River.