Devon Cottage, Kings Lane, Cookham Dean, Maidenhead, Berkshire

Building Recording

For Aston Homes Ltd

by Sean Wallis

Thames Valley Archaeological

Services Ltd

Site Code DCC 09/60

July 2009

i Thames Valley Archaeological Services Ltd, 47–49 De Beauvoir Road, Reading RG1 5NR

Tel. (0118) 926 0552; Fax (0118) 926 0553; email tvas@tvas.co.uk; website : www.tvas.co.uk

Summary

Site name: Devon Cottage, Kings Lane, Cookham Dean, Maidenhead, Berkshire Grid reference: SU 8688 8556 Site activity: Building Recording Date and duration of project: 6th July 2009

Project manager: Steve Ford Site code: DCC 09/60 Summary of results: Recording has been carried out of a cottage at Cookham Dean, which probably dates from the late 18th century. The original fabric of the building has been quite dramatically altered over the years, particularly during the 20th century when a large extension was built. It is likely that the only surviving elements of the 18th-century cottage are the external walls, an internal dividing wall, and two chamfered floor beams. Location and reference of archive: The archive is presently held at Thames Valley Archaeological Services, Reading and will be deposited with the Berkshire Historic Environment Record in due course. This report may be copied for bona fide research or planning purposes without the explicit permission of the copyright holder Report edited/checked by: Steve Ford 21.07.09 Steve Preston 20.07.09

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Devon Cottage, Kings Lane, Cookham Dean, Maidenhead, Berkshire Building Recording

by Sean Wallis

Report 09/60

Introduction

This report documents the results of building recording at Devon Cottage, Kings Lane, Cookham Dean,

Maidenhead, Berkshire (SU 8688 8556) (Fig. 1). The work was commissioned by Mr Andy Voss, Rose Cottage,

School Lane, Cookham Dean, Berkshire, SL6 9PQ, on behalf of Aston Homes Ltd, 39 Queens Road, High

Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, HP13 6AQ.

Planning consent (appln no. 09/00060) has been granted by Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead

Council to demolish the existing structures on the site and construct a new residential building. Part of the

existing house is thought to date from the 18th century and, although the building is not listed, it does lie within a

Conservation Area. As a result, a building survey of the earliest elements of the house has been requested prior

to demolition. This report documents the results of the building survey.

This is in accordance with the Department of the Environment’s Planning Policy Guidance, Planning and

the Historic Environment (PPG15 1994), and the Royal Borough’s policies on historic buildings. The fieldwork

was undertaken by Sean Wallis on 6th July 2009, and the site code is DCC 09/60.

The archive is presently held at Thames Valley Archaeological Services, Reading and will be deposited

with the Berkshire Historic Environment Record and a copy sent to the National Monuments Record in due

course.

Location, topography and geology

The site is located on the north side of Kings Lane, approximately 500m north of the historic core of the village

(Fig. 2). It lies about 600m south of the River Thames. Devon Cottage is situated close to the floor of a valley,

lying at a height of approximately 70m above Ordnance Datum, with the ground rising quite steeply to the north-

west and south-east. According to the British Geological Survey the underlying geology consists of chalk from

the Seaford and Newhaven Formations (BGS 2005).

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Historical Background

A range of Ordnance Survey and other historical maps of the area were consulted at the Berkshire Record Office

in order to ascertain how the site may have developed in the past, and whether any of the mapped changes might

have had an impact on the building covered by this survey.

The earliest map to show the area in detail is the manor map of 1825 (not illustrated), which does not show

the cottage. However, this omission is likely to be the result of the fact that the cottage did not come under the

manor’s jurisdiction, as few individual buildings are shown on the map despite the fact that it covers a

reasonably large area. The first map available which shows the site is the Cookham Tithe map of 1843 (Fig. 3)

the award of which describes the plot (853) as a cottage and garden. It is not clear from the map whether the

cottage is shown as being subdivided at its north east end, or whether this represents a separate adjoining

building. By the time of the First Edition Ordnance Survey of 1876 (Fig. 4) the cottage is shown as a simple

rectangular building, and the earlier sub-division, or adjoining building, is not recorded. However, the 1911

Ordnance Survey (Fig. 5) once again shows the cottage as sub-divided, and a small rear extension appears to

have been built between 1876 and 1911. Another building is shown to the north-west of the cottage, along with

several new greenhouses. The only changes evident on the 1925 Ordnance Survey (not illustrated) relate to

further greenhouses within the garden of the cottage. The 1932 Ordnance Survey (Fig. 6) appears to show that

the rear extension was enlarged slightly between 1925 and 1932, and there are further changes evident to the

other building and greenhouses within the cottage grounds. By the time of the 1971 Ordnance Survey (not

illustrated) the cottage and attached garage and extensions are shown exactly as they appear on the modern map

(Fig. 2), although neither shows the conservatory particularly accurately. It would therefore seem likely that the

major alterations, which are believed to have been carried out in the 1930s, were made after 1932.

By comparing the various maps it seems clear that the north-east part of the building has been altered quite

considerably over the years. The original elements of the cottage currently consist of two equally sized bays,

with a 1930s extension to the rear and a small extension evident at the north-east end of the cottage, which

relates to the fireplace (Fig. 7). Although the relatively small scale of the maps consulted makes it hard to

measure dimensions accurately, the length of the original cottage seems to be longer on the maps dating before

1971, making it appear narrower than it currently is. It is therefore possible that the building may have originally

been built as a three bay cottage, subdivided at its north east end, or may have had a separate adjoining building

at this end. The north-east end appears to have been substantially re-modelled since 1932, and most of the earlier

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elements have probably been lost. It also seems likely that the earlier rear extension, first seen on the 1911

Ordnance Survey, was completely removed by the larger 1930s extension.

Methodology

The building survey was carried out in accordance with guidelines set out by the Royal Commission on Historic

Monuments (England) for a level 3 record (RCHME 1991; English Heritage 2006).

The survey comprised a fully analytical record of the building’s development, a comprehensive

photographic survey, paying attention to the methods of construction, chronological development and alterations,

and features of special interest. The building has been recorded photographically on 35mm format using colour

print, colour slide and black and white media which are catalogued (Appendix 1).

Description

The original house consisted of a modest two-storey, two-bay, timber-framed cottage, which has been greatly

extended over the years [Pl. 1]. The survey was only concerned with the earliest part of the existing house,

which is rectangular in plan, and measures approximately 8m by 4m. The rear extension, conservatory and

garage, which are thought to date from the 1930s, were not recorded in detail. These extensions have obviously

removed much of the structure of what would have been the north-west elevation of the original house.

Exterior

Roof

The original part of the building appears to have had a simple gabled roof which, although probably thatched in

the past, is now covered with plain red tiles. The south-east facing elevation has two full dormer windows, with

tiled roofs, which are cut through the wall plate and are therefore later insertions into the roof space (Fig. 8). The

north-east facing part of the building was obviously extended at some point to incorporate a later fireplace, and

there is a small out-shut roof to the rear of the chimney stack, also covered in plain red tiles. The stack protrudes

above the roof, and is rendered with pebble-dash. The map evidence suggests that this end of the building has

been substantially altered during the years and, although seemingly early elements survive either side of the

fireplace, much of the current structure, including the fireplace, and its associated chimney breast and stack,

probably dates from after 1932. Unfortunately, the exact sequence of building phases is obscured by the pebble-

dash and internal plastering.

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It is clear from the earlier maps, and from the building itself, that the cottage was substantially re-modelled

at some point after 1932. The roof of the original building was incorporated into that of the 1930s extension,

which is hipped in form, and slightly higher. The only part of the interior roof space which could be seen during

the building survey was the junction between these two roofs. The simple A-frame construction of the earlier

roof could be seen, although the machine-cut timbers used throughout suggest that no elements of the original

roof are likely to have survived, and that all the existing roof structure dates from the 19th and 20th centuries.

Walls

Although the walls of the original house are timber framed, none of this is visible externally due to the presence

of pebble-dash render, which has obscured the various phases of building somewhat. The chimney breast, and its

associated extension, are also rendered with pebble-dash, and may be brick built. The rear extension and

conservatory are definitely brick built, but they too are pebble-dashed. Some bulging of the original walls was

noted, particularly on the south west facing elevation, which may have been caused by the weight of the heavy

pebble-dash render on the timber frame structure. The door in the south east elevation is protected by a brick

built storm porch, which has a gabled roof of rustic timbers, covered with plain red tiles, and probably dates

from the 1930’s. The exterior walls of the porch are pebble-dashed, whilst the interior walls are painted, but have

been left un-rendered.

Windows and Doors

The front doorway in the south-east elevation is protected by the storm porch, and has an attractive solid wooden

panelled door [Pl. 2]. It seems unlikely that this is the original door however, as it position in relation to the

timber frame of the building seems awkward, particularly when viewed from inside the house. Prior to the

construction of the 1930s extension this would probably have been the main entrance to the house, but it has

subsequently been made slightly redundant by the doorway in the south-west elevation of the extension, which is

more convenient for vehicular access. The south-east elevation has two wooden framed windows, either side of

the front door, along with two metal-framed dormer windows within the roof space. The north-east elevation has

two ocular windows on the ground floor, positioned symmetrically on either side of the chimney breast, and one

small wooden-framed window on the first floor above the out-shut roof of the chimney breast extension. There is

another ground floor ocular window in the south-west elevation, along with a wooden-framed window which

lights the internal staircase. The ocular windows have metal and wooden frames, and are glazed with stained

glass panels.

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Based on the style and construction methods used, none of the windows are original features, having been

punched through the timber frame in the south-west and south-east elevations, and incorporated into the 1930s

rebuilding of the north-east end of the cottage. Any original window openings are likely to have been widened

by the insertion of the later windows, or blocked up. Any remaining trace of these original windows is obscured

by external and internal rendering.

Interior

The ground floor of the original part of the building is split into two rooms. The living room can be accessed

from the kitchen of the 1930s extension, and from the doorway in the south-east elevation. Very little of the

building’s timber frame is visible in this room, as all the walls have been fully rendered. The north-east end of

the room is dominated by a large brick-built fireplace, which appears to have been greatly altered in the 20th

century, and currently has a 1950s stove inserted. A doorway in the south-west wall leads into the dining room,

which has a boxed-in staircase in its north-west corner, which is probably 20th century in date. There is a small

serving hatch from the kitchen of the 1930s extension. Although much of the dining room is fully rendered,

elements of the original timber frame of the building can be seen in the south-west elevation [Pl. 3]. Patches of

brick-nogging were also observed in this wall, particularly in the stairwell, where the plaster has fallen off. Both

the ground floor rooms have herringbone woodblock floors, and each room has a single chamfered beam with

simple stops. A series of smaller beams were recorded in the living room, although most of these appear to be

much later in date, and are purely decorative [Pl. 4]. An exception to this are the beams visible either side of the

fireplace, which are likely to be part of the north-east end of the original cottage, much of which was removed by

the later fireplace extension.

The first floor of the original house is split into two bedrooms, and elements of the timber frame, including

curved braces, are visible in both rooms [Pl. 5]. The north-west walls of the bedrooms have been significantly

altered by the addition of the 1930s extension. The later dormer windows in each room can clearly be seen to

truncate the wall plate. The original tie-beam of the north-east truss has survived, despite the structural changes

which would have been necessary when the fireplace extension was built. This extension was not built to full

height on the first floor, although there is evidence from the tie-beam that the north-east bedroom may have had

a fireplace which has subsequently been blocked up. The space within the extension, immediately adjacent to the

chimney stack has been used for storage. The first floor ceiling is supported on the roof purlins, and may be an

original feature, although the beam above the doorway between the two bedrooms suggests that the purlins may

be replacements [Pl. 6]. However, it is possible that the doorway itself may be a slightly later addition and the

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beam may in fact be a re-used timber. The floorboards on the first floor do not appear to be very old, and suggest

that the original floor has been replaced.

Conclusion

The form and style of the surviving timber frame of Devon Cottage, with its thin studs and curved braces, is

consistent with a late 18th century date. However, it is clear from the survey that although elements of the

original timber framed cottage survive, the building has been significantly altered, particularly in the 1930’s. The

only elements of the original building appear to be the external walls, the internal dividing wall, two beams

supporting the first floor, and possibly the bedroom ceilings. None of the existing windows and doors are

original features, having been punched through the timber frame of the cottage.

References BGS, 2005, British Geological Survey, 1:50000, Sheet 255, Solid and Drift Edition Brunskill, R W, 2004, Traditional Buildings of Britain, London EH, 2006, Understanding Historic Buildings, English Heritage, London PPG15, 1994, Planning and the Historic Environment, Planning Policy Guidance 15, HMSO

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APPENDIX 1: Photographic Catalogue: A .Colour prints No. Description

1 Identification shot 2 Exterior, looking north west 3 Exterior, looking north [Pl. 1] 4 Exterior, storm porch, looking north west [Pl.2 ] 5 Exterior, looking north west 6 Exterior, looking south east 7 Exterior, looking east 8 Exterior, looking south west 9 Exterior, looking south

10 Exterior, junction of cottage and conservatory, looking south 11 Exterior, looking south west 12 Exterior, looking south west 13 Exterior, ocular window, looking south west 14 Exterior, storm porch and doorway, looking north west 15 Exterior, south west corner, looking north 16 Exterior, south west elevation, looking north 17 Interior, original cottage viewed from 1930’s kitchen, looking south east 18 Interior, living room, looking south east 19 Interior, living room, looking east 20 Interior, living room, looking north east 21 Interior, south east corner of living room, looking north east 22 Interior, chimney breast in living room, looking north 23 Interior, living room, fireplace looking north east 24 Interior, living room, looking north west [Pl. 4] 25 Interior, living room, looking west 26 Interior, living room, front door, looking south east 27 Interior, entrance to dining room from living room, looking south west 28 Interior, dining room, entrance to staircase, looking south west 29 Interior, dining room, looking south 30 Interior, dining room, looking south east 31 Interior, dining room, looking south west 32 Interior, dining room, looking west 33 Interior, dining room, detail of timber frame, looking south west [Pl. 3] 34 Interior, dining room, entrance to staircase, looking south west 35 Interior, bedroom 1, looking north west down staircase 36 Interior, bedroom 1, looking south 37 Interior, bedroom 1, looking west [Pl. 5] 38 Interior, bedroom 1, looking north 39 Interior, bedroom 1, looking south east 40 Interior, bedroom 1, looking south west 41 Interior, bedroom 2, looking north east 42 Interior, bedroom 2, looking south west [Pl. 6] 43 Interior, bedroom 2, looking east 44 Interior, roof-space, looking east 45 Interior, roof-space, looking south east 46 Interior, living room, detail of ocular window, looking north east 47 Interior, living room, detail of fireplace nook, looking east 48 Interior, living room, stove, looking east 49 Interior, dining room, brick nogging in south west corner, looking south west 50 Interior, living room, detail of timber beams, looking north east 51 Interior, staircase, detail of timber frame and brick noggin, looking south west 52 Interior, bedroom 1, detail of purlin, looking north west 53 Interior, bedroom 2, looking south west into bedroom 1 54 Interior, bedroom 2, looking south west 55 Interior, dining room, detail of floorboards looking south east 56 Exterior, looking south east 57 Exterior, looking east 58 Exterior, south west elevation looking south east 59 Exterior, detail of ocular window in south west elevation, looking east 60 Exterior, detail of ocular window, looking north east 61 Exterior, detail of window in south east elevation, looking north 62 Exterior, dormer window in south east elevation, looking west 63 Exterior, roof, looking north west 64 Exterior, out-shut roof, looking south 65 Exterior, looking south 66 Exterior, looking south 67 Exterior, south west elevation looking south east

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APPENDIX 1: Photographic Catalogue: B. Colour Slides No. Description

1 Identification shot 2 Exterior, looking north west 3 Exterior, looking north 4 Exterior, storm porch, looking north west 5 Exterior, looking north west 6 Exterior, looking south east 7 Exterior, looking east 8 Exterior, looking south west 9 Exterior, looking south

10 Exterior, junction of cottage and conservatory, looking south 11 Exterior, looking south west 12 Exterior, looking south west 13 Exterior, ocular window, looking south west 14 Exterior, storm porch and doorway, looking north west 15 Exterior, south west corner, looking north 16 Exterior, south west elevation, looking north 17 Interior, original cottage viewed from 1930’s kitchen, looking south east 18 Interior, living room, looking south east 19 Interior, living room, looking east 20 Interior, living room, looking north east 21 Interior, south east corner of living room, looking north east 22 Interior, chimney breast in living room, looking north 23 Interior, living room, fireplace looking north east 24 Interior, living room, looking north west 25 Interior, living room, looking west 26 Interior, living room, front door, looking south east 27 Interior, entrance to dining room from living room, looking south west 28 Interior, dining room, entrance to staircase, looking south west 29 Interior, dining room, looking south 30 Interior, dining room, looking south east 31 Interior, dining room, looking south west 32 Interior, dining room, looking west 33 Interior, dining room, detail of timber frame, looking south west 34 Interior, dining room, entrance to staircase, looking south west 35 Interior, bedroom 1, looking north west down staircase 36 Interior, bedroom 1, looking south 37 Interior, bedroom 1, looking west 38 Interior, bedroom 1, looking north 39 Interior, bedroom 1, looking south east 40 Interior, bedroom 1, looking south west 41 Interior, bedroom 2, looking north east 42 Interior, bedroom 2, looking south west 43 Interior, bedroom 2, looking east 44 Interior, roof-space, looking east 45 Interior, roof-space, looking south east

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APPENDIX 1: Photographic Catalogue: C. Monochrome Images No. Description

1 Interior, chimney breast in living room, looking north 2 Interior, south east corner of living room, looking north east 3 Interior, living room, looking north east 4 Interior, living room, looking east 5 Interior, living room, looking south east 6 Interior, original cottage viewed from 1930’s kitchen, looking south east 7 Exterior, south west elevation, looking north 8 Exterior, south west corner, looking north 9 Exterior, storm porch and doorway, looking north west

10 Exterior, ocular window, looking south west 11 Exterior, looking south west 12 Exterior, looking south west 13 Exterior, junction of cottage and conservatory, looking south 14 Exterior, looking south 15 Exterior, looking south west 16 Exterior, looking east 17 Exterior, looking south east 18 Exterior, looking north west 19 Exterior, storm porch, looking north west 20 Exterior, looking north 21 Exterior, looking north west 22 Identification shot 23 Interior, roof-space, looking south east 24 Interior, roof-space, looking east 25 Interior, bedroom 2, looking east 26 Interior, bedroom 2, looking south west 27 Interior, bedroom 2, looking north east 28 Interior, bedroom 1, looking south west 29 Interior, bedroom 1, looking south east 30 Interior, bedroom 1, looking north 31 Interior, bedroom 1, looking west 32 Interior, bedroom 1, looking south 33 Interior, bedroom 1, looking north west down staircase 34 Interior, dining room, entrance to staircase, looking south west 35 Interior, dining room, detail of timber frame, looking south west 36 Interior, dining room, looking west 37 Interior, dining room, looking south west 38 Interior, dining room, looking south east 39 Interior, dining room, looking south 40 Interior, dining room, entrance to staircase, looking south west 41 Interior, entrance to dining room from living room, looking south west 42 Interior, living room, front door, looking south east 43 Interior, living room, looking west 44 Interior, living room, looking north west 45 Interior, living room, fireplace looking north east

Devon Cottage, Kings Lane, Cookham Dean, Berkshire, 2009

Building Recording

Figure 1. Location of site within Cookham Deanand Berkshire.

Reproduced from Ordnance Survey Explorer 172 at 1:12500.Ordnance Survey Licence 100025880

85000

88000

SU86000 87000 88000

SITE

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SITE

Newbury

READING

ThatchamHungerford

Wokingham

Bracknell

Windsor

Maidenhead

Slough

Figure 2. Location of site off Kings Lane.

SU86700 86800 86900 87000

SITE

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N

Reproduced from Ordnance Survey digital mapping under licence.Crown copyright reserved. Scale: 1:2500

85400

85500

85600

85700

Devon Cottage, Kings Lane, Cookham Dean, Berkshire, 2009

Building Recording

Figure 3. Cookham Tithe Map, 1843.

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Devon Cottage, Kings Lane, Cookham Dean, Berkshire, 2009

Building Recording

Figure 4. First Edition Ordnance Survey, 1876.

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Devon Cottage, Kings Lane, Cookham Dean, Berkshire, 2009

Building Recording

Figure 5. Ordnance Survey, 1911.

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Devon Cottage, Kings Lane, Cookham Dean, Berkshire, 2009

Building Recording

Figure 6. Ordnance Survey, 1932.

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Devon Cottage, Kings Lane, Cookham Dean, Berkshire, 2009

Building Recording

DCC 09/60Figure 7. Ground and First floor plan.

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Devon Cottage, Kings Lane, Cookham Rise, Berkshire, 2009

0 10m

Ground floor

First floor

Store

Garage

Kitchen Conservatory

Larder

Dining room Living room

Bathroom Bedroom 3

Bedroom 1 Bedroom 2

Storm porch

post

purlins

Hatch

Dormerwindow

Dormerwindow

DCC 09/60Figure 8. Elevations.

Devon Cottage, Kings Lane, Cookham Rise, Berkshire, 2009

0 10m

Front

South West side elevation

North East side elevation

Plate 1. Exterior, south-east facing elevation.

Plate 2. Detail of storm porch.

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Plate 4. Beams in living room.

Plate 3. Detail of original woodwork in south west wall of dining room.

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Plate 6. First floor, door between bedrooms 1 and 2.

Plate 5. Bedroom 1, timber framing.

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