Forge Cottage And No 1 Forge Cottages

Forge Cottage and No. 1 Forge Cottages are two cottages, likely originally four, dating from the late 17th century to early 18th century. They were renovated around 1970 and are constructed of plastered stone rubble, possibly with some cob, and feature stone rubble stacks topped with 19th and 20th-century brick. The cottages face west onto the road and each has a two-room layout. The inner rooms share an axial stack that serves back-to-back fireplaces in the party wall, while the outer rooms have gable-end stacks. Forge Cottage is the left (northern) cottage, and No. 1 Forge Cottages is the right one. It appears that there were originally four one-room plan cottages on this site. The occupant of Forge Cottage has reported needing to create a doorway to connect the two rooms. Additionally, Forge Cottage has an unheated one-room plan extension at right angles to the rear of the left end room.

Both cottages are two storeys high and have similar exteriors. Each cottage features three ground floor and two first floor windows, all of which are 20th-century casements with glazing bars, with the first floor windows being half dormers. There is a doorway between the center and end window of each cottage, both containing 20th-century doors. The center ground floor window of each cottage is believed to block former cottage doorways. The roofs are gable-ended.

Internally, both cottages underwent significant refurbishment around 1970, although much of the original carpentry detail was preserved. Most ceiling beams have broad chamfers, and one beam in the inner room of Forge Cottage features step stops. The fireplaces are constructed of rubble with chamfered oak lintels. The roof space is not accessible, but the bases of the straight principals are exposed, and their scantling suggests they are late 17th century to early 18th century A-frame trusses.