Building record 1223/0/4 - Maltsters Cottage, Church Lane

Cottage. Dated 1685, with C20 alterations. Coursed limestone rubble, slate roof, brick end stacks. The building is of cruck-construction suggesting an earlier origin

{1} Cottage. Dated 1685, with C20 alterations. Coursed limestone rubble, slate roof, brick end stacks. 2-storey, 3-window range. 2-unit plan. C20 door to left of centre with wood lintel in C20 gabled porch. 2-light casement windows to ground and 1st floors with wood lintels. Datestone above porch inscribed IH/1685. Interior noted as having spine beams.

{3} Analysis, plan, section & photographs. Maltsters Cottage is a late 15th/early 16th century timber-framed cruck building cased in stone in the late 17th century (based on a date-stone of 1685). In the late 18th century it was divided into two dwellings, being returned to one, and restored by the present owners, in the 1950s.

The house began as a fully timber-framed cruck building of three bays with a possible fourth to the north. The degree and pattern of smoke-blackening in the roof confirm that two of the bays formed an open-hall, and, if the moulded beam with rolls and hollows in the partition wall is a dais-beam, that would define the 'high end'.

To check the 'four-bay' theory members of the Whittlewood Project Archaeology Team carried out a trial excavation. Within a 1m square test pit, a mortar bed relating to a possible return, 3.85m to the north-east of the current gable with mid 16th century pottery. Whilst this does not prove with certainty that there was another that there was another bay it remains a possibility.

There is extensive documentary evidence relating to the Hillier family's ownership of the property from the 16th century to at least the late 18th century.

{4} Undated photo, also photo dated 29.10.1993;

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 15/101 (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), F11 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN45262.

<3> Conlon R., 2005, The Whittlewood Project: Historic Buildings Survey, Potterspury with Furtho (Report). SNN105034.

<4> Photographs of buildings in Potterspury (Photographs). SNN112957.

<5> Woodfield, P, 2003, The Whittlewood Project: Phase 1 rapid survey of all buildings within the 12 parishes of the survey, identifying buildings that have, or are likely to have, fabric dating from before 1700 (Report). SNN116636.

Record last edited

Oct 23 2024 4:23PM