The Old Cottage

The Old Cottage is a house, possibly originally a farmhouse, dating from the late medieval period with an open hall that had a floor inserted, likely in the 16th century. It is constructed of whitewashed cob with two rubble outshuts at the rear. The thatched roof has gable ends and slate lean-to roofs on the outshuts. There are brick stacks at both the left and right gable ends, along with a large lateral hall stack at the front that features slated offsets and upper parts made of brick.

The building has a three-cell through-passage plan, but the lower end seems to have been rebuilt in the late 17th or early 18th century. This section includes a large stopped and chamfered beam and an unusual 'beehive'-shaped hearth with a rounded brick and rubble back. The ridge purlin extends slightly over the lower end but has been sawn off due to the rebuilding.

The cottage is two stories tall and has a four-window range. The lower end features a two-light wooden casement window with six panes in each light. The hall window, located under a slate roof, has been brought forward to align with the edge of the lateral stack, and a large 20th-century three-light window has been inserted. There is a timber sash window with three panes over three panes above, and an early timber two-light casement window to the right of the stack, with three panes to the left and six panes with a large pane to the right, above a slate-roofed projecting porch that has wooden side benches. The entrance has a 20th-century door with a three-paned overlight.

At the upper end, there is a sash window with three panes over three panes above a two-light casement window with six panes in each light. The through-passage features scantling timber panels with rubble and brick infill. A rear through-passage plank door is half-glazed with small panes. The scarfed beam at the upper end is roughly chamfered and stopped. There is a jointed cruck at the upper end, which shows no smoke-blackening, and two intermediate trusses that are heavily patched, likely from the 17th century, although some smoke-blackened sawn-off rafters and battening remain over the hall. The lower end truss is probably contemporary with the rebuilding.