Deems Cottage

This is a farmhouse, likely dating from the 16th and 17th centuries, with modernization work carried out around 1970. It is constructed from colour-washed local stone rubble, with stacks of stone topped with 19th and 20th-century brick, and a thatched roof. The house is built down a hillslope, originally following a 3-room-and-through-passage plan. An unheated former inner room is situated uphill on the north-west side. The hall has an axial stack backing onto the passage, while the service end room has a gable-end stack. The original layout of the house is unclear, and it seems likely that it began as an open hall house. The exterior presents an irregular 3-window front with 19th and 20th-century casement windows with glazing bars; a fourth ground floor window is a 20th-century oculus at the right end. The first-floor windows have low thatched eyebrows above them. The front door, located slightly left of centre, features a 19th-century plank door behind a 20th-century thatched porch supported by rustic posts. The roof is gable-ended on the left and half-hipped on the right. The interior, which was not inspected at the time of survey, reportedly contains substantial oak carpentry, likely dating from the 16th or 17th centuries. A thorough internal inspection is recommended before any alterations are made to prevent the accidental demolition or damage of historic fabric.