Lilac Cottage

Summary

Lilac cottage a C17 timber framed vernacular building.

Reasons for Designation

Lilac Cottage, Bayford, a C17 vernacular building is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons.
* Architectural interest: the cottage retains a significant proportion of historic fabric pre-dating 1700;
* Interior: notable features survive in the cottage including the stack and the earliest plan-form remains legible;
* Group Value: the cottage is located in close proximity to other listed buildings with which it has group value and offers it additional interest.

History

Lilac Cottage is understood to date from c1650 and until recently (2013) displayed a date plaque on its front elevation. The earliest configuration of the building is unclear although it is known to have been two dwellings and is shown as such on the Ordnance Survey maps of 1881, 1898 and 1923. An extension and conservatory have been added to the rear after 1923.

Details

MATERIALS: timber framed and rendered to front and right side elevation, weather boarded to left side with grey, stone slate to the pitched roof and a central brick stack.

PLAN: a two-bay cottage comprising a four-room plan extended to the rear in the C20. The central stack served the front two rooms.

EXTERIOR: a two-storey cottage with an asymmetric pitched roof; a short shallow pitch to the front and a long steep pitch to the rear. There are C20 windows throughout and a C20 boarded door to the right side (south-west elevation). The rear extension is believed to be brick-built beneath the render.

INTERIOR: the original rear wall of the cottage is evident inside the cupboard under the modern stairs and displays stud timber framing with a straight downwards brace, infilled with brick. Elsewhere on the ground floor the framing is concealed behind plaster and wall paper, although the sill and wall beams are evident almost throughout with some substantial transverse, stopped and chamfered bridging beams. A number of ceiling joists have been replaced in the C20 but many early examples also survive. One fireplace is a C20 replacement the other possibly originating in the C17 but with later remodelling. A C17/early C18 plank and baton door with some contemporary door furniture survives in the front left room.

The timber framing on the first floor survives well. The wall plates, tie beams and corner posts are clearly visible and further framing is evident behind the wall paper. Some beams are attached to the wall plates with iron straps. C17 to early C18 plank and baton doors are retained in the front two bedrooms with contemporary door furniture including the hinges, handles and bolts. The rear bedroom and bathroom which are probably modern insertions, are located in the roof space, resulting in the concealment of the roof structure. Given the survival of the tie beams at ceiling height it would appear that the roof structure survives above. The fireplaces on the first floor have been boarded up, tapering towards the roof.

SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: there are a number of outbuildings to the side and rear of Lilac Cottage including a garage, sheds and glass house. These are all mid-late C20 and are not of special interest.

End of official list entry

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