The Causeway And Ring O Bells Inn

The Causeway and Ring O' Bells Inn is a row of three cottages and a public house, likely dating from the late 15th century, with significant remodelling in the 17th century and later alterations. The building is constructed of whitewashed rendered rubble and cob, with a slate roof featuring a gable end to the left. Four tall brick stacks are located at the rear, one having been rebuilt in the 20th century.

The building has a 9-window range over two storeys. Nos. 1-3 have 3 C19 windows from the left: a 2-light casement, followed by two horizontal sliding sash windows flanking two blind window openings. Three half-glazed doors are accompanied by 2-light casements (6 panes per light) flanking doors to Nos. 1 and 2, and a 2-light casement (3 panes per light) to the left of No. 3. The Ring O' Bells section has 20th-century fenestration. Stop-chamfered beams are present in Nos. 1 and 3.

The roof structure is of great interest, featuring a continuous structure of 9 bays over Nos. 1-3 and part of the Ring O’ Bells, composed of 8 trusses with apparently straight principals, the trusses over Nos. 1-3 retaining cranked collars tenoned into the soffit mortices of each principal with mortice holes. Each bay retains two tiers of threaded purlins with curved windbraces to each tier. Lath and plaster partitions are followed by two replacement trusses and a further three raised cruck trusses, one retaining its cranked collar, towards the right end of the Ring O’ Bells. There is no sign of smoke-blackening. The roof structure suggests the row originally comprised two adjoining late medieval houses with a division towards the left end of the Ring O’ Bells, but alterations have obscured the original plans.