NHER 24372 (Building record) - Blackwater Cottage, Blackwater

1986.
'Great mass' of cockle and oyster shells, bones (some split) found below floor, samples seen by E. Rose (NAU), and two sherds, one medieval greyware and one Potter Heigham or Woodbastwick ware.
Identified by A. Gregory (NAU) 18 March 1988.

House listed grade II, see (S1).
Single storey and attic, thatched, offcentre stack with two rebuilt angled flues. Walls of 18th century brick and some studs, some thin and late, some reused; long sloping braces at east end. East of stack is long spine beam with large flat stops, resting on reused stud. West of stack, bridging beam against stack with 16th/17th century style stops, but rests on horizontal little timbers in walls, not on posts. West fireplace curving brick, later oven, stopped bressumer. Roof with rough rafters, and some reused, long straight braces and one pair of knee braces-cum-halfcrucks. Spaces between rafters filled with twigs and plastered over, thatch on top.
Appears to be an 18th century house reusing 16th/17th century timbers. Base of stack may also be of latter date.
The deeds, which [1] has not seen, are said to refer to a cottage on the site in 1560 occupied by two nuns. This needs checking.
E. Rose (NAU) 18 March 1988.

26 August 1997. NLA air photography.
House visible.
H. Clare (NLA), 29 Mar 2001.

[1] believes there is 16th and 17th century original work in the house. See (S2) in file.
E. Rose (NLA), 8 February 2002.

(S1) and (S3) date the cottage to the late 17th century.
S. Spooner (NLA) 12 January 2006