Higher Thorn Cottage

Higher Thorn Cottage is a late 15th or early 16th century cottage, with alterations from the early 17th and 19th centuries, and further additions in 1987. The cottage is constructed of stone and flint rubble with a thatched roof, half-hipped at the ends, and a brick ridge stack.

Originally a four-bay hall house with upper cruck frames set in cob walls, it originally featured a central hall of two bays with a screens passage at the east end. The east bay was demolished in the 19th century and replaced with a single-storey lean-to addition, which has been rebuilt in 1987 to match the existing external appearance. An early 17th century floor and stack were inserted into the hall, along the line of the original screens passage. A north wing extension was added in 1987 to provide a new entrance lobby and staircase.

Externally, a doorway to the screens passage, with quoined jambs and a timber lintol, has been re-opened. There are 20th century two-light casement windows: 2 to the left of the doorway, 4 on the first floor, and a three-light casement to the right of the doorway. A sloping brick buttress is positioned to the right of the doorway. Similar 20th century casements are found in the north and east walls.

Inside, to the left of the fireplace in the hall, a timber-framed arched doorway with post-and-muntin panels survives from the original medieval screen. The hall features an early 17th century cross-beamed ceiling with heavily chamfered beams with broached stops, and exposed joists. A partition between the hall and a ground floor room in the west bay has been removed. The inglenook fireplace has an elaborately moulded bressumer and a left-hand jambs post, while the right-hand post has been removed or obscured due to widening of the south wall. The west bay, now part of the hall, has an exposed lateral bridging beam and joists. A doorway to the screens passage on the north side, with S-shaped posts and lintol, is now entered from the 20th century entrance lobby. On the first floor, partially exposed raised jointed crucks, with purlins at wall top level, are visible. A timber-framed partition has been inserted under the western cruck truss. Evidence of earlier window openings is found in the north wall.