Building record 1899/0/2 - Church Cottages

<1> English Heritage, 2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, 55753 (Digital Archive). SCH4666.

Formerly farmhouse, now a house: early sixteenth century with extensive later twentieth century restoration. Timber framed on plinth with rendered concrete block repairs. Welsh slate roof and a ridge brick chimney. Two-room plan with cross-passage behind the stack. One-storey and attic, four-bay front. Thirteen by two tall timber panels remain (almost close studding with middle rail). Left end bay has had timber replaced. Late twentieth century casements with glazing bars, including a line of three in gabled dormers. Door in second bay not quite in original position. To rear some early timberwork in central dormer.

Interior: Hall to right of entrance has inglenook with chamfered bressumer, above which is an original timber-framed fire hood. The ceiling beams and joists are a seventeenth century insertion into an open hall. There are remains of three full cruck trusses of which the southernmost is nearly complete. The cruck blades are arched and have a tiebeam, collar and sprockets.

Church House was the parlour wing added to this farmhouse in Elizabethan times.

<2> Hartwell C, Hyde M, Hubbard E & Pevsner N, 2011, The Buildings of England: Cheshire (2011 revision), p.625 (Book). SCH7059.

These cruck framed cottages may represent the hall range to the adjacent cross wing (Church House).

<3> See map for surveyor, c.1837-51, Cheshire Tithe Maps and Awards, EDT 385/2, 1838 (Maps and Plans). SCH3266.

Church House and Church Cottages are depicted as one plot and described as house, yard and buildings, owned and occupied by Joseph Cawley.