Church Cottage

Church Cottage is a cottage, likely built on the site of, or incorporating elements of, a medieval church house. The core of the structure probably dates to the 17th century, with possible earlier elements, and it has undergone alterations in the 18th and 19th centuries. It is constructed of plastered local stone and flint rubble, possibly including sections of cob, with stone rubble stacks topped with 19th-century brick and a thatched roof.

The cottage follows a 4-room plan, oriented north-east and backing onto the churchyard. The kitchen is located at the left (south-east) end and has a gable-end stack. Adjacent to it is the dining room, featuring an axial stack backing onto the kitchen. The two rooms at the right (north-west) end share an axial stack between them. A limited internal inspection revealed that most of the original fabric is concealed behind 19th-century plaster, making it difficult to determine the original layout and its development. The roof was not visible, but is understood to be composed of A-frame trusses. The core of the house appears to be the two central rooms.

The exterior presents an irregular 2-window front with 20th-century casement windows with glazing bars, the first-floor windows rising into the eaves. The front door, centrally positioned, is set behind a thatched-roofed porch and features a late 19th- to early 20th-century plank door. The eaves extend over the service outshot at the left end. The main roof is gable-ended.

While access to the interior was limited, the survey indicated that it experienced a late 19th-century modernization. Only the dining room retains earlier features, including a roughly chamfered crossbeam and a blocked fireplace with an oak-framed front, which is likely 17th century. The remainder of the carpentry detail is covered in 19th-century plaster. The cottage has seen little 20th-century modernization.

Church Cottage is the oldest surviving house in the village and contributes to a visually appealing group of listed buildings, the majority of which are 19th century and were built by Lord Sidmouth.