Building record 1478/0/5 - Nos. 4 and 6 Forest Road

Pair of estate cottages. C.1840

{1} Pair of estate cottages. C.1840. Coursed squared limestone, slate roof and brick ridge stack. 2-storey, 4-window range. Double-depth plan. No. 6 has 4-panel door to left with gabled wood porch and chamfered stone lintel. No. 4 has C20 glazed door to right with similar lintel and timber porch. 2-light iron Gothick casement windows to ground and 1st floors with chamfered stone jambs and lintels. Plinth, storey band and projecting wood eaves. Interior not inspected. Former Grafton estate cottages.

{3} On the basis of the current survey there is no evidence to suppose that the date of c 1840 assigned to the cottages is incorrect.
With regard to the structure itself, perhaps the principle diagnostic features are the Gothic iron-framed casement windows, the Gothis style becoming prominent in the early years of the Victoria's reign. As originally constructed the cottage was of a 'two down, three up' plan, common to both agricultural and industrial workers' houses in the 19th century. The front room was the living room, the rear being the kitchen with a pantry attached. The first floor was divided into into three bedrooms, normally accessed from a short corridor or landing. This provided accommodation for parents, children and either a grown-up child or an older relative. Other facilities such as privy and wash-house were normally in separate outbuildings.
However many alterations have taken place such as the conversion of the kitchen into a dining room (with many of the features being removed) and a new kitchen built onto the back of the house. The living room has also been (crudely) partitioned to form a corridor and a workshop. The pantry was also destroyed.
Taking all these changes in to account this house cannot be realistically described as 'a largely unaltered estate cottage'. Whilst this may have been true when the building was listed, subsequent changes to the interior and exterior have removed most of the original features of the building.

{4} Undated photo, also photo dated 15.11.1993;

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 11/63 (checked) (Digital archive). SNN102353.

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

<3> Zeepvat, B., 2001, Historic Building Survey: 6 Forest Road, Hartwell, (checked) (Report). SNN103899.

<4> Photographs of buildings in Hartwell (Photographs). SNN112654.

Record last edited

Oct 28 2024 11:08AM