Seafarers Cottage and Shute House

A pair of houses, dating from the early 18th century, located on Shute Hill, Marlborough. The houses are built of rendered rubble walls, likely incorporating some cob, and have a hipped thatched roof. There are three rendered brick stacks, one axial and one at each end.

Originally conceived as four cottages, the left-hand house, now known as Seafarers Cottage, has a direct entrance into the main room, with a small service room behind. Shute House itself comprises a double-fronted house on the right and a smaller, self-contained cottage to the left, which is of similar size to Seafarers Cottage. Later additions have been made to the rear of the properties.

The front elevation is regular, with a 1:3 window arrangement. Seafarers Cottage has late 20th century large-pane casement windows. A lean-to 20th-century porch with a part-glazed door sits to the right of the cottage, adjoined by a similar porch to the smaller cottage of Shute House, and another to the main house at its right centre. The main house features 20th-century 2-light casements in relatively small openings.

The interior features rough, insubstantial beams. The fireplaces have been rebuilt. The group value of these buildings lies in their historic role and architectural characteristics.