Downham'S Cottage

Downham's Cottage is a detached cottage dating to the late 16th century, with later alterations and additions. The walls are plastered cob on stone footings, and the roof is thatched with a half-hipped form. Originally built as a 3-room house with a through-passage, the higher end is situated to the right of the passage. A front internal lateral stack warms the hall, while a left-hand external end stack serves the service wing; the inner room was unheated. All chimneys have brick shafts. A brick rear outshut extends beneath a catslide roof.

The cottage has two storeys, with a three-window front. The first floor has early 19th-century two- and three-light casement windows, that to the service-end chamber being notably early 19th century. The ground floor also features five two- and three-light casement windows.

Inside, there are two plank and muntin screens; one is in the passage and the other separates the hall from the inner room. These screens are chamfered, feature carpenter’s mitres, and stopped details. The bressumer of the passage screen also has run-out stops, and the timber panels are cut away above. The inner room has a deep chamfered axial ceiling beam, and the hall has three cross ceiling beams—all with run-out stops and a bar. The service end contains one jointed cruck truss, with the other two trusses appearing to be raised crucks; all are morticed and pegged. There is no evidence of smoke-blackening on the timbers.