Vine Cottage

Summary

Cottage of probable C16 origin, extended in the C17 and re-fronted in brick in 1711. Further extended circa 1920 and later C20.

Reasons for Designation

Vine Cottage, a timber-framed cottage dating from the C16 with a probable C17 extension, with brick external walls dated 1711, refurbished and extended circa 1920, is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Early fabric: Vine Cottage retains a significant proportion of early fabric of C16, C17 and C18 date in its walls, roof structure and chimney stack;
* Architectural interest: the exterior has good quality Flemish bond brickwork with some black headers dated 1711 in specially moulded bricks, string course and original window openings, some with cambered heads;
* Plan form: the plan form is still apparent externally and internally: the south-western end bay is the earliest part, one bay of a probable two-bay C16 house later extended by two bays, possibly originally with lobby entrance altered when the brick front was added in 1711. A matching bay was added to the north-east circa 1920 and a porch added opposite the chimneystack;
* Fittings, fixtures and decoration: the cottage retains a number of features of interest including an open fireplace, ceiling beams and roof structure to the original part and circa 1920 bronze plaque, panelling, plank doors and brick and timber fireplaces within the original part and in the 1920 extension.

History

This timber-framed building dates from the C16 and stood on the north-west of a triangular-shaped village green called Tintalow Green. At one time it belonged to the Hatchlands estate. The building was re-fronted in brick in the early C18, commemorated by a date stone of 1711 on the original north-west external end wall, now an internal wall.

On the 1841 Tithe Map Vine Cottage is shown as an L-shaped building, number 500. On the Schedule 500 is described as a lived in cottage owned by William Holme Sumner, who also owned the meadow to the south west (Item 501) and the Barlow Mow Public house to the north east of Vine Cottage Item 499a. The Sumner family owned Hatchlands (Grade I) between 1770 and 1888, when the main house was sold to Stuart Rendel. A late C19 photograph of the entrance front of Vine Cottage shows an entrance with a wide architrave immediately to the right of the left gable and window openings unaltered to the present day, although more windows in the photograph retain leaded lights.

Vine Cottage appears on the1870 25 inch Ordnance Survey sheet as an L-shaped building and there is no change in footprint on the 1898 or1914 editions. By the 1935 Fourth Edition 25 inch map of 1935 however, the building is shown extended to the north-west and partially extended to the north-east. These additions were probably carried out soon after 1921 when it appears that the property became privately owned. In January1944 bomb damage was recorded to both Vine Cottage and the adjoining property, the Barley Mow Public House. Possibility this was at the north-west corner which is post-war.

Details

DATE: the south-western bay is probably of C16 date. Two further bays were added to the north-east in the C17 and the exterior was re-fronted in brickwork in 1711. Circa 1920 a further bay was added on the north-east side, windows were replaced by casements within existing openings and the interior was refurbished. Later in the C20 further brick extensions were added on the north-west side and a 1970s conservatory, neither of which are of special interest.

MATERIALS: the original part is timber-framed but was re-fronted in 1711 in brick in Flemish bond with some black headers. The front gables are tile-hung and the tiled roof has one off-central circa 1600 brick chimneystack and a further early C20 chimneystack on the north-west side.

PLAN: the earliest part at the south-west end is a single surviving bay of C16 date which was extended in the C17 by the addition of two further bays at the north-east end. This plan was modified by the addition of a further bay to the north-east in the 1920s, the existing entrance was blocked and a porch was added in front of the original chimneystack and later in the C20 further service and bedrooms were added to the north-west.

EXTERIOR: the principal front facing south-east has a string course between floors, lower on the south bay. The south bay has a tiled gable, a narrow casement on the first floor and a taller casement on the ground floor with elliptical brick arches. The entrance has a C20 brick porch with hipped tiled roof and studded plank door. The two adjoining bays to the north-east have casement windows under elliptical arches on the ground floor. A Sun fire plaque, no. 127326, is fixed on the first floor. The 1920s end bay on this side projects slightly, has a tile-hung gable and has a four-light casement on each floor. The south-west side has a continuation of C18 brickwork to the southern half with a string course but the northern half brickwork is later in date. Rafter feet are visible to the southern part. There are two C20 flat-roofed dormers and a C20 gabled porch. The north-east side, the return of the 1920s addition, has two hipped dormers breaking through the eaves and a tall central external chimneystack with two small windows in the base. The north-west or rear elevation has to the east the gable return to the 1920s addition to which has been added a 1970s conservatory. Attached to the west are C20 additions with irregularly-spaced casements with top opening lights.

INTERIOR: entrance through the porch leads into a lobby with exposed ceiling beams,1920s panelling and a contemporary bronze plaque depicting horse riders. The south-western ground-floor room has an open fireplace with a wide wooden bressumer with a 3 inch deep chamfer, a spine beam of about one and a half inches and floor joists without a chamfer. Some beams have hooks of handmade iron nails. The adjoining room to the north-east, a dining hall two bays in length, has two axial beams with one and a half inch chamfers and lambs tongue stops and similar floor joists. The fireplace was re-modelled in the 1920s and the walls have 1920s panelling. The 1920s eastern room has a brick 1920s fireplace and ceiling beams. Access by a half-winder staircase within the central ground-floor room leads to the first floor. The south-western bedroom is lower than the others. Its north-west wall has an exposed gable end with tie beam, principal rafters, two adjoining central angled posts and a mid-post below. Its other walls have exposed wall plates and the south-eastern wall has a tie beam. The upper part of the original chimneystack is visible in this room although the fireplace is a brick and tiled 1920s one; the large cupboard beside it has original pintle hinges although the door is 1920s. To the north-east are two further bedrooms of unequal size. The partition wall between the two has a tie beam and wall plates are visible in both. The north-east end wall of the eastern of the two bedrooms has a visible tie beam and wall plates. This was the original external wall and on the reverse side is a date stone of 1711 recording the date the building was re-fronted in brickwork. The date stone is constructed of bricks which have been specially shaped to produce the figures. A full inspection of the roof was not possible but original rafters were visible to the south part of the building and a recent report has a photograph of the top of the angled posts and some original rafters in the C16 south-west bay.

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