White Cottage and attached garden wall and stable

White Cottage and attached garden wall and stable

House. Early 18th century, possibly a recasting of an earlier building, with circa 1890s extension and alterations carried out for Mr. Francis of Dart and Francis, a local building firm. The structure is built of roughcast cob, with the 1890s addition at the right (west) end in roughcast brick. The roof is thatched with a scalloped ridge, half hipped at the left end and gabled at the right end. The chimneys have modern brick shafts.

The plan follows a single depth arrangement, four rooms wide. The left hand end was added in brick in 1896 according to information from the owner. A small former stable adjoins the right end, with a late 19th century drawing office added in front of it for Mr. Francis of Dart and Francis.

The exterior presents two storeys with an asymmetrical four window garden front facing south. The right hand addition is slightly set back with a different eaves line, and the left hand end also shows a different eaves line. The thatch eaves are carried on moulded timber brackets, likely dating to 1896, with eaves thatch eyebrowed over the outer first floor windows and applied timber framing above the windows. The centre block features an enclosed lean-to porch to the right of centre with a slate roof and a circa 1940s iron frame glazed door. Alongside to the right is a small circa 1900 window with margin panes, and to the left a sixteen-pane sash with timber shutters. These two windows sit beneath a glazed verandah on a cast iron column with a lapped glass roof. To the right is a large round-headed French window with small panes and margin lights, also under a glazed roof between the porch and the drawing office, which projects to the front at the right end. Three sixteen-pane sashes occupy the first floor. The right hand addition contains one ground floor and one first floor two-light casement with three panes per light, dating to 1896. The thatched stable at the right end has a two-light loft window with the thatch eyebrowed over it.

The rear elevation to Belle Parade breaks forward at the right end, where the 1896 addition is located. This contains a re-sited 18th century pedimented doorcase with panelled pilasters and finely carved detail, fitted with a six-panel door with flush bottom panels. To the left, in the main block, stands a two-light moulded mullion and transom window, probably dating to 1896 with contemporary stained glass and an 18th century entablature and pediment above on moulded brackets. On the first floor to the left is a good early 18th century twenty-four pane sash with thick glazing bars and one opening pane.

The stable block to the left is lit by a five-light ribbon window on the ground floor with a small two-light casement to the loft. To the right of the rear elevation is a tall rendered garden wall with slate coping, containing a two-centred arch doorway with a boarded door.

The interior retains early features including a stick baluster stair with a mahogany handrail, a very large panelled 18th century door (possibly re-used) to the ground floor right hand room, and a couple of early 18th century re-sited two-panel doors. Old roof timbers are said to survive.

Dart and Francis were primarily church builders in the late 19th century and undertook major commissions for Caröe among others, working outside the county and abroad. It is likely that Mr. Francis remodelled the whole house here as well as possibly adding the sympathetic addition at the west end.