;086- PRACTICE OF

AIICIIITECTI RK.
15.... k III.
Sect. VI II.
COTTAGES.
300,').
"
FiStatfS," observes Kent,
(
Hints to Gentlemen
of
Landed Property, 8vo. Luiu.on.
1776,)
"
bein'.i' of uo value without hands to cultivate thein, the lal^ourer is one of the most
valuable members of society: without him the richest soil is not worth ownin;^." It
follows, then, that his condition should be most especially considered, and it is a duty oi.
every country gentleman to take care that the labourers on his estate are so considered as
to be made at least comfortable.
"
The shattered hovels," says the same author, "which
half tlie poor of this kingdom are obliged to ))ut uj) with, is truly affecting to a heart
fraught with humanity.". . . "The weather penetrates all parts of them, which must
occasion illness of various kinds, particularly agues; which more frecjuently visit the
children of cottagers than any others, and early shake their constitutions." . . .
'
We are
careful of our horses, nay, of our dogs, which are less valualile animals ; we bestow con-
siderable attention upon our stables and kennels, but we are apt to look upon cottages ar,
incumbrances and clogs to our property, when, in fact, those who occupy them are the
very nerves and sinews of agriculture." We fear the neglect of tlie comfort of the cottager
has given a greater impulse to poaching and other crimes than his natural propensities
have iiiduced. Tliis, however, is not a matter for discussion here. It is not to be suppose!
tliat we mean the labourer is to be placed in an expensive dwelling; a ditterence of rank
must exist ; and if the whole revenue of the country were divided among the population
per head, it would be seen (as iM. Dupin has recently shown in a most elo(juent and
sound address delivered in Paris as resjjccts France) that the division of it per day,
after allowing for the expenses of the most economical government that could he de
vised, would be such as would not satisfy the lowest class of labourer, much less the in-
genious mechanic. This is a matter so susceptible of proof, and so projier to be generally
promulgated, that we have here gone a little out of our way lest we should be considered
too urgent with respect to the cottager.
;500(j. No cottage ought to be erected which does not contain a warm, comfortal)le,
plain room, with an oven to bake the bread of its occupier
;
a small closet for the beer and
provisions, two wholesome lodging rooms, one whereof should be for the man and his wile,
and the otlier for his children. It would be well always, if poss'.ble, that the boys and
girls in a cottage should be separated
;
but this unfortunately entails an exjjense, and )ier-
liaps is not so materially necessary, because the boys tind employment at an early age. A
siied for fuel should be attached.
Cottages should always be placed in sheltered spots, and as near as possible to the
farm where the labourer is employed. The wear and tear of a man is not very dissi-
milar to that of an engine, and it temls as much to the interest of the farmer as it does to
tile cotnfort of the lal)ourer that all unnecessary fatigue be avoided.
.S()07. In the erection of cottages it is not only more economical, but more comfortable
to the occupiers, that they should be built double, or in twos at least. In those provinces
where brick or stone can be obtained they should never be constructed with timber, and
tiles, if they can conveniently be had, should always sujiersede thatch. Further observa-
tion on this subject will be unnecessary, for we have ill delivered the principles of our art
if the student be not now prepared to carry out the few hints on the subject of cottages,
-
buildings, in point of fact, of importance paramount to the palace which the sovereign
inli bits.
The following remarks are by J. C. Loudon, and are extracted from a
"
Report to He:
Majesty's principal Secretary of State, trcmi the Poor Law Commissionurs, on an Enquiry
into the Sanitary Condition of the
Labouring Population of Great Britain," 1842.
" Thti essential reqni.siUs of a comfortable
labourer's
cottage may be thus summed up:
"
1.
Tlie cottage should lie placed
alongside a public road, as being more cheerful tlian a
solitary situation
and in order that the cottager may enjoy the applause of the public when
he has his garden in good order and keeping.
"2. The cottage should be so placed that the sun may shine on every side of it durin<T
the day throughout the year, when he is visible.
For tli'is reason, the front of the cotta"-e
can only be parallel to the public road in the case of roads in the direction of north-east,
south-west,
north-west, and south-east
; in all other cases the front must be placed obliquely
to the road, which, as we have previously shown, is gr-atly preferable to having the front
parallel to the road.
'
;5. Every cottage ought to have the floor
elevated, tliat it may be dry
;
the walls double
or hollow, or battened, or not less than eighteen inches thick, that they may retain heat

with a course of slate or flagstone,
or tiles bedded in cement, six inches above the surface, tJ
prevent the rising of damp
;
the roof thick or double, for the sake of warmth
;
and
i.roject-
111
i
eighteen inches or two feet at the caves, in order to keep the walls drv, and to check the
la.liation of heat from their exterior surface.