Engelwood Firs

These are two adjoining estate cottages, likely originally a single house, situated at the north end of Broadhembury village. The cottages probably date to the early 17th century or earlier, with alterations and renovations in the 20th century. They are built with creamwashed rendered cob on stone footings, topped with a thatched roof, which has a plain ridge and is half-hipped at the right end. An axial stack features a modern brick shaft.

The original plan likely comprised three rooms and a cross or through passage. “Engelwood,” on the right-hand side, appears to have the typical higher-end layout of a heated room to the left and a smaller, unheated room to the right, possibly with a passage surviving behind. The doorway to “Firs,” to the left, may represent the original entrance to this passage. The first floor of Engelwood contains one large room to the right and a smaller room to the left.

The exterior is asymmetrical, with four first-floor and seven ground-floor windows. The eaves of the thatch are eyebrowed over three first-floor windows and swept down at the right end (Engelwood). Engelwood has a 19th or 20th century plank front door with a slated hood and 20th century windows, the first-floor window with square leaded panes, and the ground-floor windows timber casements with glazing bars. Firs has a 19th or 20th century plank front door with a slated porch hood, extending over an adjacent single-light window. The windows are a mix of 19th or 20th century timber casements with glazing bars, 20th century casements with square leaded panes, and one 18th century two-light window with larger square leaded panes.

Inside Engelwood, inspected rooms are divided by a partition of oak studs, originally with wattle and daub infill. A 20th century staircase has been added. The left-hand room has an open fireplace with a chamfered lintel and a bread oven; a chamfered axial beam remains in the right-hand room. Engelwood preserves a side-pegged jointed cruck roof truss, likely of early 17th century origin. Exposed carpentry and an interesting roof may also survive in Firs.

These cottages form a curved end to a substantial row of thatched cottages and are part of an outstanding estate village centre.