Martyrs' Cottage

Martyrs' Cottage is a detached cottage, formerly two cottages, likely built in the 18th century. The walls are made of part plastered cob and part brick, and the exterior is colourwashed. It features a double Roman tile roof with a crested ridge and brick end stacks. The cottage has two storeys. The ground floor includes one part-glazed oak door, one stable door, two casement windows with glazing bars, and one 20th-century casement. On the first floor, there are two sash windows with vertical glazing bars, one casement commemorating the house as a meeting place of the Tolpuddle Martyrs, and one 20th-century casement at the right end. To the left, there is a single-storey range with a gabled roof and one 20th-century casement. This cottage was the home of Thomas Standfield, one of the six agricultural workers who were transported to Australian convict settlements in 1834 for taking an illegal oath under the Mutiny Act of 1797, which aimed to prevent mutinies in the navy. They were pardoned in 1837 and returned to England in 1838. The public outcry surrounding their case was crucial in strengthening the early Trade Union movement. The cottage is graded for its historical significance as the meeting place of the Friendly Society of Agricultural Labourers.