Early 19th century workers cottages, 5-13 The Square, Heybridge (EHER 40618)

A terrace of five workers cottages, the first to be built by the Bentall Company for its employees, opposite Bentall's former home (The Bembridge Hotel, EHER 38474). They are thought to date to 1815, and a plaque within a blind window central to the range is dated 1827 and possibly commemorates renovations whereby kitchens were added to the rear.

2005. Field survey. Built adjacent to the main entrance into the works (EHER 15304) and opposite Bentall's former home (The Bembridge Hotel, EHER 38474) The Square was the first range of cottages the Bentall Company provided for its employees. The two storey brick built cottages lie perpendicular to the street frontage, canting slightly to accommodate the bend in the road. A plaque within a blind window central to the range is dated 1827, with the initial G.B (possibly for Bentall). However as the cottages are thought to date from 1815, the date displayed may relate to their renovation. An oriel window inserted into the easternmost cottage (No.7) signifies its later reuse as a shop, similarly the western cottage (No. 1) provided breakfasts for the foundry workers, and generally each were, at some point, engaged in retail use. The terrace comprises five two storey red brick cottages with either painted or plain brick elevations. At first glance the terrace appears to be single period, but the rear kitchen bays were added in 1827. The roofs over the majority of the terrace are shallow and hipped to the front with catslide roofs, interrupted by flat roofed dormers, over the utility/kitchen bays to the rear. The windows have rough brick segmental heads with four light vertical sliding horned sashes to the front, although only a few examples of original fenestration remain. <1>