Elmside The Post Office

COLDRIDGE EAST LEIGH Post Office SS 60 NE 1/38 Elmside and the Post Office - GV II

House and Post Office, formerly 2 cottages and a part was once used as a Chapel of Ease. C17 and C18 with C20 Post Office extension. The C17 work is local stone rubble and plastered on front only, the C18 work is plastered cob on rubble footings; stone rubble or cob stacks topped with C20 brick; thatch roof and corrugated asbestos roof to service outshot and Post Office. House comprises a long continuous range facing south. At left (west) end is C17 2- room plan cottage and adjoining to right (east) is an C18 3-room plan cottage under a higher roof. The C17 cottage has stacks each end, the right one now axial, and the C18 cottage has an axial stack right of centre. Left end room of C17 cottage had first floor removed in C19 when this room converted to Chapel of Ease. C20 service outshot and Post Office to rear of right (east) end. 2 storeys. Overall 7-window front, 4 to C17 cottage and 3 to C18 cottage, all late C19 and C20 casements. There are 3 front doors, 2 to the C17 cottage end and the present main door to left of centre of C18 cottage end, a late C19- early C20 plank door with contemporary gabled porch with glazed and trelliswork sides, now with corrugated plastic roof. Roof is half-hipped to right and gable-ended to left. The left end stack is disused and its chimney shaft removed. The left end wall shows a section of large volcanic ashlar blocks possibly from an earlier building. The rear of the C17 cottage end has 4 blocked original small oak 2-light windows with chamfered mullions, 2 on each floor. Interior: the C17 cottage end has most of its carpentry detail hidden behind C19 plaster. The end fireplace though blocked can be seen. It is hooded with a soffit-chamfered and scroll stopped oak lintel. In the C18 cottage end the centre room and right end room have plainly-finished crossbeams and the fireplace is blocked. Roof through is inaccessible but feet of principals show and indicate that C17 and C18 A-frame truss roofs survive intact.

Listing NGR: SS6984007588