Leys Cottages

Leys Cottages are three adjoining cottages located in Cheriton Fitzpaine, dating from the late 17th century and extended in the early 19th century. They are constructed of plastered cob and rubble, with cob or rubble stacks topped with 19th and 20th-century brick, and feature a thatched roof. The cottages face south, with No. 1 at the left (west) end. Originally, there were a pair of two-room cottages sharing a central stack. No. 3 at the right end remains intact, while No. 2 appears to have been slightly reduced in the early 19th century when a one-room cottage (now No. 1) was added to the left end, complete with an end stack. The cottages are two storeys high and present an overall irregular four-window front, featuring late 19th and 20th-century casements, most of which have glazing bars. The roof is hipped at both ends. Most interior features are obscured by 19th and 20th-century cladding, but diagonal fireplaces can be seen in the rear corners of Nos. 2 and 3, and No. 2 has an exposed axial beam with step stops. The original roof structure remains, with purlins supported by closed trusses between the rooms.