Description

SY 18 NE BRANSCOMBE STREET (north side)

7/56 Shute Cottage, Fern Cottage and
- Wayside Cottage

22.2.55 II
GV

3 cottages. C17, maybe earlier in parts, thoroughly refurbished in the mid-late
C19. Exposed local stone rubble; stone rubble stacks, one with an ashlar
chimneyshaft, all topped with C20 brick; slate roof, formerly thatch.
Plan: row of 3 small cottages set back from the lane but facing south-west towards
it. Shute Cottage is at the left (north-west) end. It has a 1-room plan with a
gable-end stack. Fern Cottage, in the middle, also has a 1-room plan and shares an
axial stack with Wayside Cottage at the right (south-east) end. This stack serves
back-to-back fireplaces. Wayside Cottage has a 1-room plan although it also has a
small unheated lobby behind another belonging to adjoining Margells (q.v.).
Although only a limited internal inspection was available at the time of this survey
it appears that these cottages were largely rebuilt in the C19 although the core is
probably much older. Indeed it seems that this row of cottages originated as the
hall and service rooms belonging to Margells.
Exterior: overall irregular 5-window front of C20 casement with glazing bars. Each
cottage has a C20 front door, each behind various C20 porches. The roof is gable-
ended to left and to right it butts the roof is Margells.
Interior: only Wayside Cottage was available for inspection at the time of this
survey although it is thought to be typical. No beams show on the ground floor.
The fireplace however is C17. It is Beerstone ashlar with a soffit-chamfered and
bar scroll-stopped oak Lintel. The roof is inaccessible and there is no sign of any
trusses. However it looks as though the roof was built at a higher level than the
original and a ledge on the back wall probably represents the former wall height.
There is a late C16 oak-framed wall between Wayside and Margells which includes
blocked doorways.
This row of 3 cottages was probably originally part of a large late C16 or earlier
house which also includes Margells (q.v.). It is however not possible to determine
its original layout or early development. Maybe further work on the cottages might
reveal early features.
The cottages also form part of an exceptionally attractive group of mostly thatch-
roofed traditional houses which make up the hamlet of Street.

Listing NGR: SY1884488856

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26618073

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Old House Care and Repair
• 
  Worcestershire Revised Edition (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair by Hunt. Roger ( 2008 ) Hardcover
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Period property manual, victorian house manual 2 books collection set by ian rock