Slab Cottage, West Wellow

Builder: A. W. Lawrence

Date: 1986–1987

This pretty early 18th century thatched cottage had an interesting history including a period from 1922 when one downstairs room had served as the first telephone exchange for the village of Wellow, with about 10 subscribers.  In this small cottage the only public phone was sited in the entrance hall and the husband of the telephone operator ran a boot repairer’s business from the same address! 

Although fully residential again and in a reasonable state of repair when acquired by The Trust, it’s future was most uncertain because of an extensive development adjacent to the site.  In renovating the cottage, which included adding a new porch and thatching the roof with reed, the Architect was also able to exploit fully the inherent character of the cottage that included an inglenook fireplace and exposed oak beams.

Once again The Trust had demonstrated that the policy of renovation instead of demolition can work very successfully and, in addition, the retention of the cottage also exerted an architectural influence on the design and layout of the new houses subsequently built on the land surrounding the cottage.