Monument record MDO48592 - Rose Cottage, Brownsea Island

ESTATE COTTAGE (Late 19th C to Early 20th C - 1867 AD to 1932 AD Located on the south side of the island near the top of the slope down to the water’s edge. The house is set within a large garden surrounded by trees

Rose Cottage is located on the south side of the island near the top of the slopedown to the water’s edge. The house is set within a large garden surrounded by trees.

A house on the site of Rose Cottage appears within the sale particulars of 1859 where it was simply described as a ‘cottage’ with no other details (Figure 3). The house shown on the map accompanying the particulars is show with a wider central block with narrow ranges either side. This form is also shown on the 1st and 2nd Edition OSmaps of 1886 and 1901 although the wider block is slightly E of centre (Figure 4).
Although the two storey block of the present house does extend forward of the wings either side, it does not extend forward as far as the block shown on these maps. By1925 (25” OS map) (Figure 4) the building is shown with a linear form and an additional block attached to the south elevation at the west end of the range on the site of the modern extension. The small outbuilding immediately east of the house was still not present at this date but there was a well with a small building to the south. There was also a rectangular building to the north, sited just to the east of the present WC which is probably shown on the 1933 edition of the map. The house itself was unchanged when the 1933 edition of the 25” OS map was published and the outbuilding to the east had also not been built at that date.
It is difficult to be certain of the date of construction of Rose Cottage on the map evidence; the general plan with a wider central block fits the existing building although the character of the building would seem to be later C19 or early C20.
The house must have been subject to some renovation work after the Island was acquired by the National Trust as Battrick (1978) described the house as having ‘crumbling walls and a moss laden roof’ and that ‘the branches of a pine hammered on the leaded light window’ when he visited the island in c.1960. There are certainly no surviving leaded light windows today.

Rose Cottage is an unlisted building. It is considered that the house does not have sufficient special architectural or historic interest to merit its addition to the List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. The house has a traditional, late 19th/early 20th century character although this is somewhat compromised by the large modern extension to the SW. This is a simple estate cottage which retains some internal features of interest including the boarding to walls, some internal doors and fire surrounds.
Features of particular note which should be retained include: The stairs S1. This is a narrow, steep staircase but it is typical of small estate cottage architecture. The loss of this staircase would be highly detrimental to the character and significance of the house.
Fireplace surrounds to F2 and F3, Historic doors, particularly D7 at top of stairs with original latch, Vertical boarding to walls, Cupboards to W of F2

<1> Edwards, Bob, 2011, South Shore Group, The Vinery & Seymour's Villa, Brownsea Island (Monograph). SDO20919.

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

Record last edited

Sep 17 2024 11:11AM