557, Giffords Lane

This is a detached cottage, possibly dating back to the 17th century, although it may have been converted from a 16th-century building. It is constructed of ham stone rubble, with a thatched roof featuring plain gables and brick chimney stacks. The west elevation has two storeys and an irregular three-bay arrangement of windows. These are casement windows of various dates; the upper window in the third bay has an ovolo moulding, while the lower windows are set beneath timber lintels. An additional two-light window is located to the left of bay 3, in the former doorway location. A boarded door is positioned to the right of bay 1, sheltered by an open timbered porch with a catslide thatched roof. A lean-to extends from the south gable, and a two-light casement with a brick-lined segmental-arched head is found in the north gable. The east side features further casement windows, with evidence of a former wide opening up to eaves level towards the south end.

The interior, as reported, follows a three-room plan, with thick partitions extending to the first floor. Notable features include unusually massive, chamfered crossbeams with scroll-like stops, and a roof comprised of jointed cruck trusses. At the south end of the roof is a post and tie-bead truss, complete with trenched purlins and sole windbraces. It is likely the cottage has always been a single dwelling, but was formerly connected to a barn and possibly other farm buildings.