6,10 AND 12, HIGHER TOWN

Row of three cottages. Late 16th or 17th century house, subdivided into three cottages in the 19th century. Constructed from plastered local stone rubble, possibly with some cob; stone rubble chimney stacks with plastered brick chimney shafts; slate roof, formerly thatched.

The three cottages face north. Number 6 is the left (east) end cottage, Number 10 is in the centre, and Number 12 is the right (west) end cottage. Each cottage has a 1-room plan. Number 6 is heated by a gable-ended stack, whilst Numbers 10 and 12 share an axial stack in the pantry wall between them, serving back-to-back fireplaces. A passage runs through the building between Numbers 6 and 10.

The building is two storeys with secondary outshuts and service wings to the rear. The front elevation is gable-ended with an irregular arrangement of five windows of various late 19th and early 20th century sashes; some are horned 4-pane sashes and others are 10-pane (8/2) sashes. Numbers 10 and 12 have front doorways containing 20th century doors, whilst Number 6 has a doorway off the passage, also containing a 20th century door.

Originally the building had a 3-room plan with an axial stack shared between the higher end (Number 12) and central hall (Number 10), and a heated lower end beyond the through passage to the left (Number 6).

Interior features include a boxed beam to Number 12; moulded beams from the originally quarried ceiling to Number 10; and a chamfered beam with chamfered bressummer to the open fireplace in Number 6. The first floor and roof were remodelled in the 19th and 20th centuries.