Besbury Cottage

SO 80 SE 1374/3/10014

MINCHINHAMPTON BESBURY COMMON Besbury Cottage

II

Farmhouse. Circa early C18. Coursed limestone rubble with dressed quoins. Stone tile roof with gable ends. Stone axial and gable-end stacks with rebuilt brick tops. PLAN : 3-cell plan, comprising a kitchen/hall at the centre heated from a fireplace in an axial stack at the lower end of the room, a small inner room on the left [S] with a gable-end fireplace, and an integral outhouse at the low right [N] end with external access at the front. In about the C 19 an outshut was added on the low end and a porch was built on the east front. EXTERIOR: 1 storey and attic. Asymmetrical 4-bay east front with small gable to right of centre. 2-light chamfered stone mullion window to right of centre on ground floor and another in gable above with wooden casements; 2-light casement on left and stone lean-to porch between; on right outhouse doorway with plank door; another doorway in lean-to outshut on right. Rear west, small gable to left of centre with small blocked window, 2-light chamfered stone mullion window below to right, blocked window on right and small blocked opening on left. South gable-end has 1-light iron casement to right of projecting stack. Window in north gable end above outshut. INTERIOR: largely intact. Kitchen/hall has slightly chamfered cross-beam, C20 chimneypiece in blocked fireplace, fielded panel window shutters and a dresser. Inner room is ceiled and has small fireplace without a chimneypiece. Plank doors. Winder stairs beside axial stack. Attic chambers ceiled. Integral outhouse at N end has exposed joists and unplastered walls. Besbury Cottage is a rare survival of a small unaltered farmhouse with an unconverted integral outhouse at the low end.

Listing NGR: SO8720301525