99 Church Road, Combe Down

The Trust is generally supportive of the proposals to reinstate 4/4 timber sash windows as this will enhance the special interest of the listed building. We also have no concerns regarding the rear extension.

We question the justification for the addition of the Regency style porch given these buildings are significant for being Ralph Allen’s high status worker cottages from the 1730’s. A Regency (or Edwardian) style addition is not demonstrated to be part of the historical development of this particular Georgian cottage and is therefore not authentic to its story (though we acknowledge the adjacent cottage porch – no.97 - may well be an authentic historic addition). We assume that the awkward 1990’s porch does not enhance the building and can be removed without concern.

Therefore we would on balance prefer to see the original console and slabhood doorcase to be revealed and left as is without a porch as this is how this cottage was originally conceived. If further historic research reveals the presence of a now lost 19th or early 20th century porch, this could be used to inform/guide the design of the new porch as a reinstatement. As it stands, the proposed porch simply represents a pastiche addition from an historic period not so far demonstrated to be associated with this particular cottage. It also does not sit comfortably with the proposal to reinstate Georgian style multi pane sashes, resulting in a mash of differently dated architectural elements to the front elevation.