Firdale Cottage And Briar Cottage

Firdale Cottage and Briar Cottage are two adjoining houses that were originally one building, dating from around the mid 17th century, with a possible later extension on the left end. The cottages are constructed of colourwashed rendered cob and stone rubble. Firdale Cottage has a thatched roof that is hipped at the right end, while Briar Cottage has a roof that has been replaced with tiles. There is an axial stack and a left end stack.

The layout features an unusual single depth plan, originally three rooms wide, with the lower end to the left that includes a passage entrance. The hall stack backs onto the passage, and there is a narrow unheated service room to the right of the hall, with a possibly extended kitchen to the left.

The exterior is two storeys high with an asymmetrical window arrangement of three windows on Firdale and four on Briar. The front door to Firdale is located to the left of centre, while Briar Cottage is accessed from the rear. The windows are 19th and 20th century timber casements with glazing bars, and those on Firdale have enlarged embrasures.

Inside, the cottages are rich in carpentry details. The hall in Firdale features a fireplace with a chamfered lintel and bar stops, as well as a chamfered crossbeam with chamfered joists that have bold rounded stops. A similar chamfered crossbeam and exposed joists can be found in the right-hand room. The roof structure consists of a side pegged jointed cruck roof with collars that are lap-dovetailed into the principal rafters, which is preserved throughout Firdale and over the right end of Briar Cottage, with purlins threaded just below the collar joint. The cottages have group value with Tappers Cottage nearby.