The Cottage

The Cottage is a house dating from the early 18th century, with a mid-19th century addition or rebuilding at the left (west) end. It is constructed of colourwashed rendered stone, with the later addition being stuccoed. The roofs are slate, with the mid-19th century section behind a parapet. A rear right lateral stack serves the 18th-century block, another stack sits at the junction between the two blocks, and a further stack is at the rear of the 19th-century block.

The original layout of the 18th-century portion is not entirely clear, but it appears to have been two rooms wide, with a lean-to at the right end and a double depth to the left. The original front door was centrally placed, leading directly into the left-hand room. The mid-19th century addition provided a large room at the left end, with additional accommodation behind. The ground floor of this section has been converted into garages.

The front of the house presents a symmetrical three-bay facade to the 18th-century block, with a lower roofline. The mid-19th century addition has a single window at the left end. The 18th-century block has a recessed panelled front door, flanked by two-storey bows. Each bow has a 12-pane sash window in the centre and four-pane sashes in the outer lights. There is a 12-pane boxed sash window above the front door. An eight-bay verandah, supported by posts (with missing glazing at the time of survey in 1987), extends across the front. The right end of the verandah has a round-headed niche, and a French window with glazing bars leads into the lean-to. The mid-19th century block has a platband and parapet with a cornice, a ground floor French window with glazing bars, and a first floor round-headed sash with glazing bars and sliding shutters. A similar sash window is present on the left return, and there is one ground floor sash window; the upper floor has 12-pane sashes above the garage doors.

The interior of the 18th-century block has been altered, although some original features remain. The wall plaster has been removed around the fireplace of the right-hand room, exposing a high, cambered timber lintel. A modest stick baluster staircase with a ramped handrail is located to the rear of the left-hand room. The mid-19th century block features a marble chimney piece.

The house was the residence of a sequence of Army and Naval Officers in the 19th century and is said to have been illustrated in "Croydens' Guide" of 1817.