12 Main Road (Brookfield Cottage)

Description

Historic England state: "Two cottages, now one dwelling. Circa 1800, renovated. Timber framed rendered and thatched combed wheat reed roof. Red brick c.1800 ridge stack of two flues. When the cottage was recorded in 1950, there was a cement panel in the stack, incised with the initials TVW and the date 1853. One cottage to the road and the other on the east side, forming an L-plan. Two storeys. Two small modern casements to each storey. Doorway to front cottage at north end, now blocked. Present doorway now at the side. Inside: each cottage had a kitchen and scullery at ground floor. A cupboard staircase off the scullery led to two first floor rooms. Back-to-back hearths with segmental arched heads to small hearth openings. The bread ovens at the side have been removed. Framing exposed. Varied scantlings and vacant peg and bracing trenches indicate reuse of some timbers."

A young couple who bought Brookfield Cottage in Little Gransden in 1979 set about restoring it to its original state when they found a rolled-up ball of paper blocking a hole in the old plaster. It was a poem describing the story of ‘young Taylor’ who had been hanged for poaching. But poaching was not a hanging offence and they can find no mention of him at the Cambridge County Record Office. [Gransdens Scrapbook, 1897-1990]

Offered for sale in July 2014 for £660,000. The accommodation comprises: four Bedrooms, Bathroom, Hall, Sitting Room, Dining Room, Study, Family Room, Conservatory, Kitchen/Breakfast Room, Shower Room, Annexe/Games Room, Home Office with Shower Room and Kitchen, Double Garage and grounds of c.0.5 acres.

Listing

Grade II. List number: 1128159. Listed on 3 September 1986.

Occupants

A. S. Chambers 1955-56.

G. Russell in c.1980-2001.