The Old Smithy The Penny School

The Old Smithy and The Penny School are two cottages, likely built in the mid-19th century, with later expansions in the late 19th and 20th centuries. They are constructed of plastered cob on rubble footings, featuring a stone or cob stack topped with brick, and a thatched roof. The 20th-century extensions are made of plastered blockwork with either pantile or corrugated asbestos roofs. Originally, these were a pair of two-room cottages with mirrored layouts on either side of a central axial stack, facing southeast. The Old Smithy is on the left, while the Penny School is on the right, which was extended by one bay in the late 19th century and again around 1980. The Old Smithy also saw a 20th-century extension, which is a single-storey block with a gable end and pantile roof. The main block has two storeys and a five-window front, featuring 20th-century wooden casements. Access to The Old Smithy is now through the 20th-century extension, while the entrance to the Penny School is located to the right of centre, sheltered by a monopitch roofed hood supported by curving timber brackets. This hood appears to be a remnant of an original pentice that spanned the front of both cottages, which still exists on The Old Smithy with a pantile roof. Initially, both cottages had a symmetrical facade with hipped roofs at each end, each featuring two windows and a central door. The interior retains some original plain carpentry. The 20th-century extension to The Penny School is not included in the listing.