Building record 1884/0/1 - No.21 St Andrews Lane

{1} No.21 St Andrews Lane is a two storey limestone cottage with a rectangular footprint, adjoining and partially set back from No.23. the fairly steeply pitched roof is thatched at the front, yet at the north-facing rear the thatch has been replaced by corrugated asbestos sheeting. The exterior of the building is almost entirely covered with concrete pebble dash render, with the exception of the west gable elevation. Here, the recent demolition of the adjoining property has revealed the limestone gable wall. There is evidence of C20th alteration to windows and fresh rendering. A Union fire insurance mark below the eaves is heavily corroded but likely to date to the late C18th or early C19th.
Inspection of the exposed west gable revealed a number of repairs and additions to the original fabric of the cottage. The wall was built of roughly hewn well-coursed limestone blocks with a buff lime mortar, and with larger more regular ashlar quoins at the south-west corner. Tool marks are visible and three rectangular slots cut into the lower quoins are likely to have housed timber bars perhaps associated with a gate or fence. Graffiti on one of these modified quoins reads ‘TB 1784’ perhaps giving a later C18th date for the construction of this cottage, although it is possible that the stone comes from an earlier building.
A diagonal scar along the west elevation suggests the roofline of a former adjoining building, but does not correspond with the recently demolished structure. Unfrogged brick and stone suggests that the rear north wall of the cottage was rebuilt in the C19th.
A low brick wall to the rear of the cottage sits on a stone foundation at its east end, which might be remains associated with an earlier phase of the cottage.
The roof of the cottage is a timber ‘A’ frame construction with common rafters and a number of collars with a purlin on each side of the roof lying over the collars.
The first floor comprises a single master bedroom. The ground floor interior is split into two main rooms, the larger at the west end of the cottage. Three windows set into the south wall appear to be late C20th in date, each with an associated bench set low down in the wall. Other late C20th additions include a stone fireplace, parquet flooring and plywood panelling.

<1> Pankhurst N., 2011, Historic Building Recording of Nos. 21 and 23 St. Andrews Lane, Titchmarsh, Northamptonshire, 2011, p.6-7 (checked) (Report). SNN108459.

Record last edited

Aug 29 2014 2:22PM