Salem Cottage (EHER 37320)

Late 14th to early 15th century timber-framed hall house.

Hall house of about 1400, altered in the 16th, 17th, and 20th century, with addition in the 18th to 19th century. It is timber-framed, plastered, with the roof tiled. The building consisted originally of a low two-bay hall with integral parlour/solar at the south-west end, and a contemporary three-bay service crosswing at the north-east end, jettied at the front, of about 1400. A brick chimney stack was inserted in the north-east bay of the hall, just off the cross-entry, and a floor inserted, in the late 16th century. In the 17th century, the front wall of the hall was raised by about 1.5 metres, but not the rear, and the roof was rebuilt. Some framing exposed internally. The low end of hall had matched pairs of curved rising braces to central post, of which one remains at each floor. Front and rear doors remain in their original, medieval positions, but doorheads missing and frames concealed. There is a 16th century inserted stack blocked, with inserted cupboards, brickwork exposed on first floor, rebuilt above first-floor ceiling. Unchamfered common joists of horizontal section in the crosswing. It is probable that the roof was tiled originally. An undated photograph shows it was thatched, without door hood or diamond-shaped window above, but all other windows unchanged. A thatch fire in August 1973 destroyed the roof, except some charred timbers of the front gable of the crosswing. They show it to have been of crownpost construction, with curved rising braces to the king stud. As a result of the fire the rear end of the crosswing was slightly shortened, and the new roofs were tiled. RCHM 15. <1> See: <2>