Thorns Cottage

SEDBERGH

SD6692 THORNS LANE 162-1/17/329 (East side) 03/04/90 Thorns Cottage (Formerly Listed as: Thorns Cottage)

II

House. c1700, much altered in 1896-7 (datestones). Various local stones, roughly coursed; stone slab roof. PLAN: formerly a laithe house, the house of 2 units, with a central cross passage, the laithe undergoing some alterations at time of inspection (February 1990). To this was added a south porch and a storeyed porch to the north, all in a picturesque "medieval" style. EXTERIOR: south (garden) front of house, 2 storeys and 3 bays, symmetrical, the centre projected to form a storeyed porch with curved angles, stepped parapet with coping and cornice band, rustic Venetian window to 1st floor, the doorway under a shaped stone canopy, deeply-recessed side windows under round-headed arches, the whole porch oddly detailed with careful use of varied coloured stone. Side bays with mullioned 3- and 2-light casement windows to ground and first floors respectively, the mullions corbelled to support slightly projecting top lights. Chimneys at both ends of house, both with moulded caps and that to the left, perhaps originally corbelled but now external throughout. Rear: storeyed wing crenellated with diagonally placed corner turret; irregularly-disposed windows, one (to north) with pointed arch. To the west, in the angle of the wing and the main range, is a small attached round tower. The rear wall of the main range has 3 windows in deep reveals, and eaves with shaped stone corbels. Laithe (barn) with simple windows in stone surrounds (presumably early C19 insertions). INTERIOR: refurbished 1897 in eccentric style: much panelling and planking to walls, some set diagonally and herringbone fashion; panelled and coffered ceilings, that to the entrance hall with moulded and chamfered beams. Stairs with green ironwork railings which rise to form an open dome over the stairwell. First-floor rooms all similarly treated, one with an internal porch in free C17 style. The designs are highly unusual, especially for Cumbria, and may well be the work of the late-C19 owner, T Hewetson.

Listing NGR: SD6638692238