Mote Cottage

Details

SX 86 NE ABBOTSKERSWELL MAIN STREET Abbotskerswell 3/25 Mote Cottage - GV II Cottage, formerly probably farmhouse. Early-mid C16, altered in C17, probably partially reconstructed in C18, modernised in C20. Rendered rubble walls, ½ hipped thatched roof. 2 rendered rubble lateral stacks with dripcourses, one at front, one at rear. Originally likely to have been 3 room and through-passage which had a central hearth and was open to the roof at least over the hall and lower end. Ceiled in circa early C17 with lateral stack added to front of lower room. . The completely different and later roof structure over the inner room and the lack of early features at that end suggest that it was considerably reconstructed probably in the C18; alternatively it is possible that the house originally had a 2 room plan which was extended at this time, although that would be more unusual. The plan at present consists of 3 main rooms with the former lower and inner room heated by lateral stacks, but the central room - the former hall - unusually, is without a fireplace. Probably in the C18 a small lean-to outbuilding with external access was added at the front of the right end of the house. 2 storeys. Asymmetrical 2 window front, 3 on ground floor. Mainly C20 2-light casements with glazing bars. Single window to right and far right on ground floor; ground floor left-hand window does not have glazing bars. C20 plank door towards left-hand end under slate porch hood. Thatched lean-to outbuilding projects to the right of the stack which is towards the right-hand end. Interior: A complete 2 bay smoke-blackened roof survives over the lower room passage and part of the hall. There is a pair of principal rafters which may originally have been jointed crucks but rest at the front on a template. 1 threaded purlin, morticed apex with diagonal ridge, the morticed collar has been removed. The truss appears originally to have had staves in it from the evidence of stave holes on the soffits of both principal rafters but the equal smoke blackening either side of the truss shows that it was never completely closed. At the inner room end of the roof are later substantial clean principal rafters with lapped and pegged collars. In the lower room the fireplace has a chamfered wood lintel with run out stops. The cross beams are similarly decorated. The fireplace in the inner room has been reconstructed in C20. A photograph of the house at the turn of the century shows the original position of the door to have been at the left of the front lateral stack.

Listing NGR: SX8576368701

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

84729

Legacy System:

LBS

End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.