The Swiss Cottage

The Swiss Cottage is a cottage built around 1810 for the 6th Duke of Bedford, situated as part of the picturesque surroundings of Endsleigh House. It underwent late 20th-century renovations by the Landmark Trust. The structure is made of timber with rustic planking applied to the exterior, topped with a thatched roof and featuring two stone chimneys, one at the rear and one along the ridge. The cottage is located on a stunning site above the River Tamar.

The building has an irregular plan at the rear but a regular front block, with a gabled second floor that jetties out on three sides above a two-tier rustic timber verandah. A flight of external timber stairs on the left leads to the first floor, with an additional entrance at the rear. It stands three storeys tall, with deep eaves and fascia boards adorned with rustic planking. The planking on the external walls is arranged in vertical, horizontal, and diagonal panels.

The front elevation features one window and a three-bay, two-tier verandah that extends around the left and right sides of the front block. The verandah is supported by timber posts with rustic notches and struts, and includes a timber fence on the first floor. The ground floor has a two-light casement window with hexagonal leaded panes, while the first floor has a half-glazed door leading onto the verandah. In the gable, there is a two-light casement window set in a brattished frame, also with hexagonal leaded panes. The gable is decorated with a timber pendant and topped with a timber pinnacle.

Inside, the cottage features a large, intact, modest interior with simple painted stone fireplaces and a staircase with stick balusters. The Swiss Cottage is an exceptional example of its type, closely associated with the picturesque landscape design and other buildings of significant national importance.