Summary
An agricultural or estate cottage of late-C17 or early-C18 date which has undergone additions and alterations in the C20.
Reasons for Designation
Keeper's Cottage, Paley Street, Berkshire is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Architectural interest:
* this small, vernacular cottage retains a substantial quantity of its original material including its external brick walls, beams and joists at ground floor level, roof trusses, purlins and dividing walls as well as a corner stack and angled hearths;
* although subject to later additions and alterations, the building’s original plan can be interpreted without difficulty.
Historic interest:
* the building is a good example of a relatively early agricultural or estate worker’s cottage of the late C17 or early C18.
Group value:
* with Rose Cottage and Rosemary Cottage, Paley Street (both Grade II).
History
The original cottage is of late-C17 or early-C18 date and has been subject to a series of additions and alterations in the C20. The large wing which projects at left on the eastern side is post-war. It is shown on the Ordnance Survey map published in 1973 and appears as part of the pre-existing fabric at the time of an application in 1984 for the addition to the northern flank of a garage and porch entrance at ground-floor level with a bedroom and bathroom above. The position of a staircase in the same location as at present is also shown on this same application. This extension was granted listed building consent (LBC) in June 1984 (Windsor and Maidenhead Application number 416102). In 1991 listed building consent was obtained for the addition of an eastern addition to the 1984 extension at ground floor level with a wider dormer window at first-floor level, and a conservatory to the ground floor of the post-war wing (Application 422597). It seems that neither of these was built, but the drawing submitted with the application shows that the garage built in 1984 had now been changed to a dining room and the former garage door on the north side had been blocked and a window inserted. In December 1995 LBC was granted for conversion of the existing French windows on the east side of the wing of 1984 to wider patio doors (Application 429595).
Details
An agricultural or estate cottage of late-C17 or early-C18 date which has undergone additions and alterations in the C20.
MATERIALS & PLAN: red, Flemish-bond brick with a plain tiled, gabled roof. The original, rectangular building was of two storeys with two rooms to each floor. To this an eastern extension was added, with a living room at ground-floor level and bedroom and bathroom above. The position of the present staircase was also established before 1984 when a further, two-storey extension was added to the northern gable end of the original house.
EXTERIOR: window joinery has been replaced but appears to follow the original pattern of two and three-light casements. The western, entrance front has three bays which are nearly symmetrically disposed. The floors are divided by a projecting plat band of three bricks depth which extends along the flanks and to the rear. The entrance is to right of centre in a gabled brick porch, which was added in the mid-C20. To either side are two-light casements with cambered heads. At first-floor level are two, three-light windows. To left of this and slightly recessed is the addition of 1984 which has a lower ridge than the original house. It has a window to left of the ground floor and a projecting porch at right with a door and window, under a catslide roof. The first floor has two gabled dormers. The extension continues the motif of the platband between floors.
The southern end has exposed timber framing to the gable with a tie and collar connected by three vertical posts. Below this there is a two-light window to the first floor and a single-light ground floor window. At right of this the post-war extension has a chimney stack at left and also continues the walling in Flemish bond with a band between the floors.
The eastern front (rear) has the post-war extension at left. This has a shallow, recessed porch to the ground floor with a timber fascia to the lintel. Brickwork around the French windows at its centre arrears to have been renewed. The first floor has two, two-light casements and above these are paired gables with applied timber framing. At right of this and in the re-entrant angle is a small, single-storey addition, formerly a boiler house with a lean-to roof and behind this is a portion of walling of the original house with two-light windows to both floors with new brickwork to the window surround at ground-floor level. At right again is the extension of 1984 with patio doors of five lights to the ground floor and a two-light gabled dormer window to the first floor.
The north side has the 1984 extension with a two-light window to the ground floor and a single light above, beneath the half-hipped gable end. Behind this is the gable end of the original cottage, of brick with timber framing, similar to the south flank.
INTERIOR: the ground floor has a central, axial ceiling beam and joists which have nail holes indicating the former presence of a plaster ceiling. The wall between the two ground-floor rooms in the original cottage has been partially removed and now has shelving to its lower body and exposed upright timbers above. The fireplace in the present dining room is angled and has a timber bressumer and brick cheeks. The staircase has no handrail and renewed skirting and a closed string. Double doors lead through from the dining room in the original east wall to the post-war extension, and further doors in the northern gable wall lead to the porch entrance and present kitchen, constructed in 1984.
At first-floor level is an original plank door to a bedroom in the original part of the house, which also has an angled fireplace. The wall plate and tie beam of the central truss are exposed. The loft has whitewashed, chamfered purlins supporting the common rafters, and a low, boarded, cross-axial partition, which appears to indicate a revised ceiling height to the first-floor level.
