COT

206

COT

1 Cottages were formerly constructed of rude and perishablej materials; as, earthy substances mixed with straw; andcottages of this consistence were denominated mud cottagesin some districts, and cab and dab in others ; but these havenow given way to a more durable kind, which, though per-haps as expensive in the erection, are much more comfortable,and cheaper in the end, as they require little or no repairsfor many years.

In the construction of cottages, economy, convenience,

; cleanliness, comfort, and decency, must be the chief pointsj in view, and these ought to be united with as much picturesquebeauty as circumstances will admit.

“ The accommodation required,” observes Mr. Dean, inhis very interesting work, “Essays on Agricultural Build-ings,” “ is not such as would be looked for by persons movingi in a higher sphere of life, and who are accustomed, com-I paratively, to luxuries ; the labourer belongs to a totally' distinct class of society. Let the dwellings of the poor be

| scientifically constructed, and much illness and misery will

i be prevented. In effecting this, the whole community isi interested, as parochial expenses are increased or diminished■ according to the healthy state of the labouring population.

“Cottages should be warm and substantial; judgment willj also be displayed when the architectural character of thebuilding is in harmony with its use. Their exteriors mayi be made exceedingly ornate by the application of a correct! taste, which does not necessarily create much expense ; and| although ornament is not a necessary appendage to stability^.or comfort, it frequently happens that ornamental buildingsj are preferred, and when judiciously disposed, will materiallyI assist in heightening the landscape. It then becomes a

! question with the owner of an estate, whether he will, in the

! erection of cottages, incur a small additional outlay for this! purpose.

! “ England has justly been designated a cultivated garden,

and perhaps in no particular possesses a greater pre-eminencej of appearance over other countries, than in the beauty of herrural scenery; which, it is submitted, may be greatly enhancedby the substitution of cottages erected in accordance witharchitectural principles, in lieu of the clumsy-looking andcomfortless buildings existing in many districts.”

We fully agree with Mr. Dean in these observations, andwe trust that noblemen and gentlemen in the managementof their estates, will not only provide for the comfort of thepoor in the erection of warm, well-constructed cottages, butthat they will add some little in the way of ornament also.

I | How much may the picturesque appearance of the cottage be! increased by entrance-porclies, overhanging roofs, and stacksI of chimney-shafts, having ornamental summits. The porch,i independent of its architectural effect, affords both warmthI and shelter, as does also the overhanging roof. The loftychimney clustered shafts, besides assisting to prevent a smokyi room, have a very pleasing appearance.

j In the erection of cottages, it is preferable to build themin pairs if possible, as the cost is considerably less than when| Singly placed, and they are much warmer. The site also is

i a most important consideration, as houses placed on low

i marshy soils, are liable to be damp. Independently of the

, miasma arising from the surface of the ground in such situa-

i tions, there is a continual humidity in the atmosphere, which

j communicates itself to all objects surrounded by it. This

| vapour is a deadly poison, acting on the human system through

j the medium of the lungs, and producing fevers and other

i | epidemics.

) Good drainage is the next important consideration, andI this may generally be obtained at a small cost. The commonearthenware pipes, of an oval or egg-shaped form, about

5 inches by inches at bottom, are sufficiently ca P^ gito carry off the drainage from a cottage; they arecostly as brick-drains, and are more efficient. g0 nS

All drains should be trapped with a syphonto prevent the escape of foul air, and the admission ol ^ aThe drains should communicate jj,g

or

to

the dwelling. ... . .

cesspool sunk in the garden, domed over with bricKi ^a stone man-hole or flap to enable the cottager to rep

.. .j—„ .*■"!'-;-.— -o ,, . rnan ul ' |,ln

cleanse it; or to avail himself of its contents lot 1 . n th e

his garden. A drain should also lead from the sin s[ idscullery to the cesspool (trapped as before descn ’ uS e<l

this should be so arranged as to carry off the wl ! ,j c ]c, ° cfor washing the floors, when they are of stone, * ggg po^composition. The cheapest and best form for the .^esis that of a parallelogram about 5 feet long, 2 feetwide, and 3 feet 6 inches deep. . 9 . oD e

Cottages may be divided into several classes, or siz ^of the smallest size for the common labourer; the sec .^ e£l r0'for the labourer, who, by his frugality and industry> ^ or tabl®ing more than ordinary wages, deserves a more c0 ^ e tlih®dwelling than that of the most common labourer; butcbfj’size, for the village shopkeeper, shoemaker, tailor, a lebaker, &c.; the fourth size, for the small farmer, m® s ^ ft®house, or other trades, requiring room ; the fifth sl2i j gaS t W®large opulent farmer. Every cottage should have nt jf ft®apartments, and in many cases three, or even ^ oU1 ' ro0 l' ■apartments be two in number, and in two floors, onecover both ; but then there must be the expense o . j.^oU 1tional floor, and a stair to get up to it, besides a l° sS j ]0lV eV® 1 '’in both floors, for the space occupied by the stairs,with respect to a sleeping apartment, a room w a f e

story is more healthy than in a lower. In cottages ' ftbuilt singly, the families are less liable to contention.^ to gtthose which are joined: but in those which are ^ aS ft^tlier, a considerable expense of walling will be s ^ v ? n ’ c ase 0flues may be carried up in one common stalk, andsudden trouble, one family may assist another. .

Where a cottage consists of two stories, witn

'oS^l

room in the upper one, it would tend much to the j)l3 0 fthe cottager, if the upper story were warmed by jj’

flue from the fire below ; for this purpose, the.vc*-- 331be carried up the middle, with its sides as tlnn • ^

Another mode, suggested by Mr. Beatson, is to P 10$heated air, which always ascends from the ceiling 0 ^ upl’^story, to ascend through an aperture in the floor o^story; this may be done by means of gratings, ^

plates, in the least frequented part of the floor.. efl tis®? ^With respect to economy, Mr. Loudon, in his *>"0 .country-residences, has suggested a plan

- . i. e fti®‘ ,

- - • the f' 1 ® tli®

more simple means. The grate which contains

much more heat may be thrown out from a S 1 ) v '"j lC f

fuel, than by any other method yet proposed.

placed

level with the surface ot the ®® 01 ’ ;t ti®’ 8

ace

allows

(dit

to

li®

in'

np as little room as possm*-^s of a single square cottage, -jw-

fwt sniifirft ; over till* 2 *

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smoke ascend slowly, and thus in its passu,,-g!ve out its heat. In small cottages, the staircase oOo

so constructed, as to take " ' -nnssm

The chief convenienceseating-room of about 12 feet square ; overapartment, which may be partitioned in such a 1V ‘ (/ftiii'v'best accommodate the decency to be preserved in j t jioihan idea of this construction may easily be forme t ft)®Plan. If the dimensions of the buildings be two or ? 0 ( co°feet more, it will give much more advantage in P® - 0 ,is J>1 {

r+nr^Qc i.11 1 1 wwfJ the accommo :f!;

t li®

venience. For cottages built in rows, the acconm' ^ ^jtbe as follow: a room below, of 16 feet ®flentrance-door and one window in front; t. j o0 r °?an oven opening into it by means of a flue ,

i