ROYAL COMMISSION HISTORICAL MONUMENTS gland WHITE COTTAGE AT BECK FARM BRIDGE END CAUSEWAY DONINGTON LINCOLNSHIRE

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1 ROYAL COMMISSION HISTORICAL MONUMENTS gland WHITE COTTAGE AT BECK FARM BRIDGE END CAUSEWAY DONINGTON LINCOLNSHIRE

2 ] HISTORIC BUILDING REPORT WHITE COTTAGE AT BECK FARM BRIDGE END CAUSEWAY DONINGTON LINCOLNSHIRE LI ' CO JiL AUGUST 1991 CITY f- ; i... rzuuty RCHME CROWN COPYRIGHT. Shelley House, Acomb Road, York Y02 4HB. Tel: Fax:

3 THE ROYAL COMMISSION ON THE HISTORICAL MONUMENTS OF ENGLAND LINCOLNSHIRE DONINGTON BRIDGE END CAUSEWAY NBR WHITE COTTAGE AT BECK FARM NCR TF Siommary The surviving evidence indicates that this was originally a single storeyed timber-framed building dating to the late 17th century. It appears that this structure was at least five bays in length and probably was originally in agricultural use. In the early 18th century the building was truncated along the lines of the present north and south gables. It is likely that it was still in agricultural use at this time. Circa 1800 the building was encased in brick and converted into a one and a half storeyed dwelling. This was entered by a door in the centre of the east front and the accommodation comprised a housebody to the north and parlour to the south of the entrance, with three bedrooms on the upper floor. A contemporary single storey lean- to was built at the north end of the west wall of the original building. Later in the 19th century a single storey lean-to was built onto the south end of the west wall. There is evidence that a structure ( since removed) was built onto the north gable at a later date. Report 17th Century The surviving evidence indicates that originally this building was at least five bays in length and of timber-framed construction. It was single storeyed and dates to the mid to late 17th century. There is no surviving evidence for domestic use before circa 1800 and it is probable that the building originally

4 served an agricultural purpose. That it was originally longer is shown by the surviving posts at the present north and south gables ( A - A1 and D -D1 ) which have redundant mortices in their respective north and south faces. The angle of these mortices indicates that they were to take braces that would have risen to the wall-plate. This indicates that the original building continued for at least one bay to both the north and south of the present building. Each of the surviving three bays of the original building are unequal in length. However, there is no surviving evidence to explain the functional uses for the unequal spacing of the bays. Only the two central tie-beams ( B - B1 and C - CI on plan ) are original. Both are halved over the upper side of the wall-plate. Pegged straight braces rise from the posts to their respective wall-plates and tie-beams. There is no mortice evidence in the two surviving original ties ( B - B1 and C - CI ) that the building was originally subdivided or floored. The form of the original walling material is unclear and there is no surviving visible evidence for peg holes or mortices in the wall-plates for position of intermediate studs between the posts. In the west wall some mud and lath infill survives that appears to be original. Later alterations have removed the position of any door and window openings that relate to the original phase. The building retains its original common rafter roof. Each pair

5 of common rafters has a pegged collar which clasps a single row of side purlins. The steep pitch of the roof suggests that it is likely that the original building would have been thatched. Early 18th Century At this time the building was truncated along the line of the present north and south gables. The present gable tie-beams ( A - Al and D - D1 ) were inserted at this date. They are halved and pegged to the underside of the original wall-plates. Wany braces were halved and pegged over the original posts to the new tiebeams, at the present gables. There is no evidence for flooring or sub-division at this date. Therefore it is probable that during the 18th century the building remained in agricultural use. Circa 1800 At this time the building was encased in brick and converted into a one and a half storeyed dwelling with a single-storeyed leanto on the north-west of the original building. The house was entered by a door in the centre of the east front. This door opened into a lobby that gave access to a housebody on the north and a parlour to the south.

6 The housebody was heated by a fireplace that was built against the north gable. The construction of the stack resulted in the removal of the east gable post and the cutting back of the inserted north tie-beam. The fireplace bressumer reuses a section of wall-plate that has seatings for rafters. This room is lit by sash windows in the east and north walls. The east window has an arch-headed lintel. There is a door ( now blocked) in the south wall of this room. It is likely that originally it gave access to a small room below the original stair position. The single storey lean-to was entered off the west side of the housebody. It is lit by three windows in the west wall. The present south wall of the lean-to retains a single jamb of a door that was probably originally an external opening. The parlour is heated by a fireplace in the south gable. It is lit by a sash window with an arch-headed lintel in the east wall. Originally this room was lit by a window ( now blocked ) in each of the west and south walls. At the time of survey the west wall had been largely removed. Access to the attic level was by a staircase on the west side of the entrance lobby. The surviving evidence indicates that the present stairs are a later insertion as they block the door in the south wall of the housebody. It is probable that the original staircase was located to the east of the present position. This would have allowed for a room below the stair position. This room functioned as a pantry which was ventilated by a window with

7 wooden slats in the west wall. The attic level provided three unheated rooms, one in each bay. All three rooms were lit by a dormer window on the east front. Access to the attic rooms was created by cutting door positions through the original tie-beams. Later in the 19th century a single-storeyed lean-to was built on to the west of the parlour. This has an external door in the south wall and is lit by two windows in the west wall. The present sub-divisions are the result of 20th century alterations. The present staircase is late 19th century in date. The present roof covering is of pantiles. At a later date a building ( removed at the time of survey ) was built onto the north gable. GARRY S CORBETT COLUM GILES AUGUST 1991

8 J 1 J 1" = - ti II I I I I I I D b locked window A1 \ r U U C1 \ 1 D1, White Cottage at Beck Farm, Domngton, Lincolnshire Ground floor plan 5b Metres RCHM I N G I A NtJ 20 Feet

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