Stanley Pontlarge; The Cottage

Description

Johannes le Rous de Raggeley issued a pardon, in c.1391, for crennellating his house in 'Stanley Poundelarge' without licence. At the same time he was granted licence to crenellate the house.

The Cottage (SO99913027) Possibly a 14th century or 15th century three bay building of cruck truss construction, with an added 19th century service range. However, due to the reuse of materials, precise interpretation is doubtful. The building's origins may be 16th century. Both ranges are stone-built. (PastScape)

The Cottage. Also known as: The Priest's House; The Court House.
House. 1388; altered late C15 and C17; extended circa early C19; altered circa 1900 and later C20. Limestone ashlar and coursed dressed rubble. Stone tile roof with stone coped gable ends, the finial coping to north gable could be Medieval. Ashlar gable end and axial stacks with cornices. PLAN: Rectangular south range with back to road, a first floor hall, divided into two rooms on ground floor, with direct entry at centre on west front into larger north room; first floor 3-bay {hall} open to roof, the north bay partitioned off. In about C17 the first floor had partitions installed and floor inserted to create attic storey above. Circa early C19 a 2-room plan addition was built in line at the north end, possibly a remodelling of an earlier range. In about 1900 the south gable end wall was rebuilt. EXTERIOR: 2 storeys and attic main range on right {S}. Asymmetrical west front with stone mullion windows with 3-centre arch lights and hoodmoulds, ground floor 2-lights, first floor 4-light window on right and single-light window on left; central doorway with 3-centred arch, hoodmould and C20 door. C17 dormer at centre with jettied gable and 3-light timber mullion window. Single-light window in north end gable. Circa early C19 2-storey 2-window range set back on left {N} with 12-pane sashes and flush-panel door on right. Rebuilt south gable end, 1-and 2-light stone mullion windows either side of large projecting stack with inscription: 'In This House Which Was His Home Tom Rolt Husband And Father Man/ Through God's Mercy By His Pen Kept Us All In Joy From Harm' {in memory of author L.T.C. Rolt, died 197-}. Rear {E} similar stone mullion windows to those on front, 3-light on first floor to left of centre and single-light windows at centre of ground floor and to right above. 2-storey 2-window early C19 range projecting on right with 2 and 3-light casements, ground floor right iron casement with leaded panes, behind gauze. INTERIOR: Two ground floor rooms of main range have large chamfered cross-beams with hollow step stops, the south room with some exposed stop-chamfered joists and Tudor arch chimneypiece with hollow chamfer and late C18/early C19 hob grate; beam in north room cut through at east end for C20 staircase. First floor has C17 timber-framed partitions, stop-chamfered beams and joists with scratch mouldings at south end. Attic open to Medieval 3-bay roof with two central upper-cruck arch-braced collar trusses with yokes/saddles at the apexes, supporting diagonally-set ridgepiece; two tiers of trenched purlins with curved wind-braces and with common-rafter couples. The feet of the cruck blades cut off at inserted attic floor level, the north truss now closed. End trusses in form of slight principals set into gable ends. One of the arch-braced upper-cruck trusses and one of the first floor beams has been tree-ring dated to 1388 and the lower purlin on the east side of the south bay dated to 1490-1500 was possibly a screen head beam. A curved stone set into the south gable is thought to be head to former first floor doorway. The early C19 north range has a chamfered axial beam and a C19 Tudor arch kitchen fireplace chimneypiece. NOTE: The Cottage might be associated with Hailes Abbey, which was granted the living, glebe and tithes of Stanley Pontlarge in 1387. (Listed Building Report)

Comments

The pardon would suggest the building was complete by 1391, so the tree ring date of 1388 may well suggest there are remnants of John Rous house within The Cottage. However the identification of The Cottage with John licensed house has to be tentative because of the unclarity as to the tenurial holding; although their does not seem to be any alternative site. It is also possible the licence was mainly needed as additional confirmation of John's obtaining the house, possibly from Hailes Abbey.