Building record MDO45918 - Dairy Cottage, Winterborne Tomson, Anderson

Dairy Cottage probably dates from the 17th century and underwent successive phases of alteration in the 18th century and 19th century. The cottage is constructed of random ironstone rubble, flint and red brick and includes some areas of repair or rebuilding also in brick. It has a thatched roof. The main (south) elevation is of four bays and has an entrance to the left of centre, though an area to the right which has been rebuilt in brick may mark the position of a former central entrance. Large stone quoins to the left of the door represent the western extent of the original three-bay cottage. The building was assessed for listing in 2012, but failed to meet the required criteria.

Dairy Cottage is situated to the south-west of the former parish church of St Andrew’s (Grade I) within the hamlet of Winterborne Tomson. It dates originally probably from the 17th century, but with later alterations and extensions. On the 1888 Ordnance Survey map it occupies the same footprint as it does at present. The cottage possibly served as the rectory to the church, but by the 1860s the Rector was residing at the rectory at nearby Bloxworth, and in 1890 St Andrew’s Church was closed. Evidence from the fabric of Dairy Cottage suggests that there have been several phases of alteration to the building, including firstly a single-bay addition to the west in the 18th century, followed by the raising of the roof to create a full first floor in the early 19th century; the original height of the wall-plate is visible in the eastern half of the building. It is understood that at some time the cottage was possibly divided into two separate dwellings, but has since reverted to a single unit.

MATERIALS: the cottage is constructed of random ironstone rubble, flint and red brick and includes some areas of repair or rebuilding also in brick. It has a thatched roof (partly fire damaged in 2011) with rebuilt end stacks of brick. The windows are mostly timber casements of 19th century and 20th century date.

PLAN: a two-storey building that is single-depth and rectangular on plan. The earliest part seems to have consisted of one or two rooms to the ground floor and probable attic accommodation. It was extended to the west by a single bay in the 18th century. Lean-to additions have since been built at the east end of the rear elevation and against the west gable end.

EXTERIOR: the main (south) elevation is of four bays and has an entrance to the left of centre, though an area to the right which has been rebuilt in brick may mark the position of a former central entrance. Large stone quoins to the left of the door represent the western extent of the original three-bay cottage. To the ground floor there is a timber casement window to the left of the entrance and two to the right; the first floor has three further casements. All are two-light timber casements in rectangular openings; most with concrete or rendered lintels, and two of the first-floor windows have brick cills. To the rear, the cottage has been extended by the addition of a small single-storey, lean-to addition. The windows are a mix of styles, set irregularly across the elevation. The gable ends are blind, but the east gable wall shows evidence for successive phases of rebuilding, including the heightening of the roof.

INTERIOR: the entrance door opens onto a small hallway and a re-sited staircase; there is no evidence to indicate the position of the original stairs. The room to the left has a fireplace with partly-rebuilt brick surround. To the right of the hall are two rooms in which each has an unstopped axial beam with shallow chamfering, possibly of 17th century date; the inglenook fireplace to the principal right-hand room has been partly infilled. Upstairs the western (left-hand) bedroom has wide floorboards of probable 18th century date. The two other first-floor rooms are accessed from a corridor where the exposed end of one of the principal rafters is visible. There are simple plank doors throughout the building which appear to be 20th century. The roof structure includes four tie-beam trusses (at least one of which is a later replacement) which have been reinforced with roughly-hewn collars at a later date, and butt purlins that are pegged into the principals. (1)

<1> Historic England, UDS Non-Designation case report, Case number 1408096, assessed in 2012. (Scheduling record). SDO18398.

<2> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1551877 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Mar 15 2023 7:45PM