Stapley Cottage

Stapley Cottage is a cottage dating from the early 17th century. It has a whitewashed and plastered exterior with a slate roof that is gabled at both ends, although it was formerly thatched. The building has an L-shaped plan, featuring a single depth main range with two heated rooms and a rear right unheated wing that is set at right angles to the main range. There is also a single-storey lean-to on the rear left, which is likely a later addition.

The entrance is located at the right end of the house, where the wing meets the main range, but there is no passage leading from it. The left room of the main range may have served as a parlour, while the right room functioned as a hall or kitchen, heated by the lateral stack, with an unheated service wing behind it. The cottage is two storeys high and has a two-window front, with the lateral stack positioned to the right of centre. The windows are casement style with glazing bars, and the rear wing features a two-light timber mullioned window on the ground floor.

Inside, there are several notable features. The right room has a half-beam at the right end with step stops and a fireplace that has a step-stopped lintel. The left room contains a half-beam at the left end with scroll stops and a fireplace with a scroll-stopped lintel. There is a rebuilt stair against the rear wall of the left room and two fireplaces on the first floor. The cottage is documented as far back as 1628 and is said to have been built by Simon Tapley using funds from the Feoffee Charity Trustees. It is an attractive example of a small vernacular house typical of the region.