Middle Cottage

Middle Cottage is a group of two houses, now divided into three dwellings, dating to the late 17th century, with alterations in the 18th and 19th centuries. The building is constructed of regular coursed and squared coursed limestone, with thatch, Collyweston slate, and concrete tile roofing. Originally it probably consisted of a single-unit and three-unit lobby-entry plan. The building is single-storey with an attic, with part of it being two-storey. It presents an irregular 7-window front of 19th and 20th-century casements, some with glazing bars, set beneath original wood and 20th-century concrete lintels. There are 20th-century doors to the far right and two to the left. The left-hand corner of No. 17 (Middle Cottage) and the right-hand corner of No. 18 project forward, likely marking the extent of the original three-unit house. A lean-to extension, with a 20th-century pantile roof, is located to the right of centre. The right gable of No. 18 has a half-hipped roof. Brick and stone stacks are situated at the ridge and end of the roof. The rear elevation features 19th and 20th-century casements under wood lintels, as well as eyebrow dormers. A semi-circular bread oven projection is on the right-hand side of No. 17 (Middle Cottage). A single-storey, one-window range attached to the rear of No. 16 and abutting the road has a 20th-century concrete roof. A single-storey range attached to the building, now part of a house and containing a garage, has a Collyweston slate roof. The interior of No. 17 (Middle Cottage) includes two open fireplaces with bressumers and stop-chamfered spine beams with run-out stops. The interiors of Nos. 16 and 18 were not inspected. The single-storey range abutting the road is said to have been a forge. It is believed the building was converted to several farm workers’ dwellings during the 19th century. The building is included for group value.