Forge Cottage And No 1 Forge Cottages

SY 18 NE BRANSCOMBE BRIDGE

7/43 Forge Cottage and No 1 Forge - Cottages (formerly listed as Margels Bridge Cottages) 22.2.55 GV II 2 cottages, probably 4 cottages formerly. Late C17 - early C18, renovated circa 1970. Plastered stone rubble, maybe with some cob; stone rubble stacks topped with C19 and C20 brick; thatch roof. Plan: pair of cottages facing onto the road to the west. Both have 2-room plans. The inner rooms share an axial stack serving back-to-back fireplaces in the party wall and the outer rooms have gable-end stacks. Forge Cottage is the left (northern) cottage and No. 1 Forge Cottages is the right cottage. It seems that there were originally four 1-room plan cottages here. The occupant of Forge Cottage reports having to knock a doorway through to unite the 2 rooms. Forge Cottage also has an unheated 1-room plan extension at right angles to rear of the left end room. 2 storeys throughout. Exterior: both cottages are similar. Each has 3 ground floor and 2 first floor windows, all C20 casements with glazing bars, the first floor ones are half dormers. Each has a doorway between the centre and end window and these contain C20 doors. The centre ground floor window of each cottage is throught to be blocking former cottage doorways. Roof is gable-ended. Interior: both cottages were thoroughly refurbished circa 1970 although most of the carpentry detail found then was retained. Most of the ceiling beams have broad chamfers and one (the inner room of Forge Cottage) has step stops. The fireplaces are all rubble with chamfered oak lintels. The roof is inaccessible but the bases of straight principals are exposed, their scantling suggestive of late C17 - early C18 A-frame trusses.

Listing NGR: SY1972088668