Description

825/0/10052
20-MAR-03

MUNSLOW
Washwell Cottage

II

Early C18 smallholder's cottage with mid-C19 addition. Built of local uncoursed pink sandstone rubble with corrugated iron roof replacing original thatch; plain clay tile roof to C19 addition.
PLAN: The original cottage is of single-cell plan, aligned north-west to south-east, with single-storey gabled addition, divided into 2 small rooms, attached to north-west gable end.
EXTERIOR: Front elevation has mid-C20 gabled porch to left with 4-panel outer door (top panels glazed) and plank inner door; 2-light C20 casements, one on each floor, and integral end stack to right with diagonally set brown brick chimney. Rear elevation has 2-light casement on each floor to centre (lower C19, C20 above) and bread oven projection to left. 2 single-light segmental-headed casements to gable end of C19 addition.
INTERIOR: Main ground-floor room has substantial cross-beam and roughly chamfered joists; partly infilled inglenook fireplace with C19 mantleshelf has straight-flight oak staircase to right with winder to top. Corresponding room on first floor has wide floorboards and substantial chimney breast. Quarry tile floor in C19 addition.
HISTORY: Smallholders' cottages of this type, typical of Shropshire and the Welsh borders, are characteristically found in locations such as this, by a quarry or on the edge of common land. In 1953 the cottage became the home of Fred Jordan (1922-2002), a local farm worker who as one of the last genuine rustic English folk-singers to learn his songs via an ancient oral-based tradition recorded a number of albums and became nationally known on the traditional folk music scene. During this time it underwent little modernisation or change, as despite his success as a recording artist, Jordan continued to retain the values, lifestyle and outward trappings of a pre-war farm worker. (Obituary in The Times, 13 August 2002).

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26633536

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

• 
  London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Herefordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)