Cottage Approximately 2 Metres North-West Of Higher Lea Farmhouse

YARCOMBE ST 20 NW 7/163 Cottage approximately 2 metres - north-west of Higher Lea Farmhouse - II Disused cottage. Late C16 - early C17, some mid C19 alterations. Cob on stone rubble footings; the front wall has been rebuilt as local stone and flint rubble with brick dressings; disused stone rubble stack; corrugated iron roof and some of the original thatch remains below. Plan and development: 1-room plan cottage facing south. It has an axial stack in the right (east) end with a doorway behind it and a wider stair behind that. In fact this is the hall; all that remains of a late C16 - early C17 3-room-and- through-passage plan house. The doorway is in the end wall from the site of the former passage. The rest of the house was demolished in the mid C19 when the present Higher Lea Farmhouse was built nearby on a clear site. The cottage has always been 2 storeys and there are secondary lean-to outshots on the left end and across the rear. Exterior: the front wall was rebuilt in the mid C19. It has 1 ground floor window and 2 first floor windows; all C19 casements which formerly contained rectangular panes of leaded glass but most of the glass has fallen out. The roof is half-hipped to left and gable-end to right. The doorway in the right (east) end wall has an original oak Tudor arch doorframe with chamfered surround. Also there is an original stair window on the rear wall; a small oak 2-light window with a chamfered mullion. Interior: the features are all original. The winder stair is built of oak and both the ground floor and first floor doorframes are Tudor arches with chamfered surrounds. Also there is an original stair window on the rear wall; a small oak 2- light window with a chamfered mullion. Interior: the features are all original. The winder stair is built of oak and both the ground floor and first floor doorframes are Tudor arches with chamfered surrounds and step stops. The plank doors they contain are very old if they are not original. The large fireplace has limestone jambs and a chamfered oak lintel. The first floor fireplace is all limestone ashlar and has a low Tudor-arch head in the lintel. The first floor crossbeam has deep chamfers with step stops. The 2-bay roof is carried on a clean side-pegged jointed cruck truss. This small cottage contains a good group of late C16 - early C17 features. However it is somewhat dilapidated and there is evidence that the chimneystack is moving.

Listing NGR: ST2441806195