Chapter II: Part 2

THE LONG SLOPING ROOF.—The long sloping roof, a feature frequently introduced at Bournville, has several advantages. If it were not employed, and the front walls were carried up level with the ceiling line of the bedroom, the proportions of the elevation would not be so happy, while an additional expense would be incurred by the extra brickwork. Such a height, moreover, would be wholly unnecessary. In the case of cottages with the long sloping roof the height of bedrooms to the point of intersection of roof and wall need only be 5 ft. 6 ins. Ample ventilation is obtained by the simple insertion of a 9 in. by 7 in. air-brick on the outside wall, and a Sheringham ventilator or Tobin tube within, about 5 ft. 6 ins. from the floor, the cost of the latter being about 3_s._, and of the former a little more. The long sloping roof can rarely be treated tastefully without boldly projecting the eaves. The projection gives a verandah in front of the house which affords a pleasant shelter. Wooden posts may be used as supports, and by training climbing plants up them, and allowing them to festoon, a really delightful summer bower may be formed. As the roof is broad, pantiles may be used with safety so far as good taste is concerned: bold roof, bold covering. By omitting the gutters at the dormer eaves a pleasing effect is gained, and gutters are quite unnecessary with an eaves projection. The cheeks of the dormers should be dressed with lead. The cottages in question are whitewashed, and have a tarred plinth of about 2 ft. to prevent the unsightliness of mud splashes.

THE LARGE LIVING ROOM.—In view of the gain to health of one spacious living room over the parlour plan, a number of these cottages has been built in varying design at Bournville, and no difficulty has been found in letting them. There has been, however, considerable discussion with regard to their convenience to the artisan in other districts where they have been introduced. Although cottages in the past had no third room, there having been, as here, one large comfortable room (often with the ingle nook) and a small kitchen at the back—all the accommodation really required—yet at the present time many artisans are not content without the useless parlour, which they appear to think adds dignity to the house, but which is used by them chiefly as a store-room for gim-cracks. There is, perhaps, a reasonable objection to a single large living room on the part of a particular class who let the front room to a lodger. Nevertheless, for a model village or a garden city it is strongly recommended that the plan should be adopted freely, and the preference for the useless front room in small cottages discouraged.

Total cost of the example given, including all extras, £268 per cottage.

Laying out of gardens, £10 each.

Cubical contents, 28,587 ft., at _4½d._ per foot cube, £536, or £268 per cottage.

Instances of the last two types of cottages dealt with appear in the view given on Plate IV.

PLATE XXI.

PAIR OF COTTAGES.

The smaller cottage shown here is planned on similar lines to the foregoing, but with the additional accommodation of an attic, and bay windows to the two storeys. This is an instance of how a smaller cottage may be joined to a larger one in treating a corner site, the larger one on the corner giving importance to each road.

PLATES XXII., XXIII., I. (FRONTISPIECE), XXIV., XXV., AND XXVI.

BLOCKS OF FOUR.

These plates show examples of cottages in blocks of four rather larger in size than the last type, and treated in different materials.

Plate XXVI. shows the details of the cottages on Plate XXV.

PLATE XXVII.

PAIR OF COTTAGES.

Plate XXVII. gives the plan and elevation of a pair of cottages also having similar accommodation to those with the long sloping roofs shown on Plate XX. The cost, however, is here considerably reduced by each house having a side entrance, and by the omission of the ingle nook, verandah and bay, while the living room, though smaller, is not a passage room. By approaching the stairs from the lobby, not only is more privacy secured, but the space beneath is made available in the kitchen for a “Cabinet” bath, which is so placed as to occupy it when in use instead of projecting into the kitchen. The planning is simple and square, which, with the omission of bays and the introduction of plain casements, all helps to reduce the cost.

The accommodation is:—

GROUND FLOOR.

Living Room, 12 ft. 4 ins. × 16 ft. Kitchen, 10 ft. 3 ins. × 11
ft. 6 ins. Lobby. Larder, W.C. and Coals.

BEDROOM FLOOR.

First Bedroom, 12 ft. 4 ins. × 16 ft. Second Bedroom, 7 ft. 8
ins. × 11 ft. 6 ins. Third Bedroom, 8 ft. × 8 ft. 3 ins. Linen
Closet.

Total cost, including all extras, £250 per cottage.

Laying out of gardens, £10 each.

Cubical contents, 24,000 ft., at _5d._ per foot cube, £500, or £250 per cottage.

PLATE XXVIII.

PAIR OF COTTAGES.

This plate shows the plan and elevation of a pair of cottages having the parlour in addition to the living room and scullery. The living room, which should always be the larger, is here the full width of the house. The measurements are:—

GROUND FLOOR.

Living Room, 11 ft. 5 ins. × 16 ft. 6 ins. Parlour, 11 ft. 4
ins. × 13 ft. 3 ins. Scullery, Outside Larder, W.C. and Coals.

BEDROOM FLOOR.

First Bedroom, 11 ft. 4 ins. × 13 ft. 3 ins. Second Bedroom, 8
ft. 6 ins. × 11 ft. 5 ins. Third Bedroom, 7 ft. 8 ins. × 8 ft.
6 ins. Linen Closet.

Total cost, including all extras, £230 per cottage. Cubical contents, 33,918 ft. at _3¼d._ per ft. cube. £460, or £230 each. (Built in 1899.)

The stairs in this instance descend to the entrance lobby, but they may be planned the other way about in order to avoid the necessity of traversing the parlour to get to the bedrooms, and to insure children crying upstairs being heard in the living room or the scullery. This, however, would necessitate the cutting of 3 ft. off the large front bedroom, while the respective spaces for the larder and the lobby below would be reversed, the position of the former being undesirable.

Ordinary roofing tiles and common bricks have been used. The living room is boarded, and the scullery quarried.

It might be pointed out that there is but little scope for variety of plan in these smaller cottages. The variations must be obtained in the treatment of elevations. As already stated, to build cheaply the main point is to get the walls as long and straight as possible.

PLATES XXIX. AND XXX.

BLOCK OF THREE COTTAGES.

Plate XXIX. and the accompanying scale-drawing give the plan and elevation of a block of three cottages, a sketch of which appears in Plate XXX. The inner one occupies an exact third of the land, and is double fronted. By putting the inner one with its axis to the front, an equal garden-space is given to all the houses without incurring a re-division of the land.

The inner and left-hand houses have practically the same accommodation, but the right-hand has several advantages: there is a wider hall, the living room is not a passage room, while the kitchen is reached from the hall, and the wash-house is entered from the yard.

Accommodation of _left-hand_ and _inner_ houses.

GROUND FLOOR.

Parlour, 11 ft. 4 ins. × 15 ft. 3 ins. Living Room, 10 ft. ×
14 ft. 6 ins. and bay. Scullery, 10 ft. × 6 ft. and recess for
Bath. Coals, Tools, and W.C.

BEDROOM FLOOR.

First Bedroom, 11 ft. 4 ins. × 15 ft. 3 ins. Second Bedroom,
7 ft. 6 ins. × 14 ft. 6 ins., and bay. Third Bedroom, 7 ft.
5 ins. × 11 ft. 6 ins. Fourth Bedroom, 9 ft. 6 ins. × 6 ft.
(middle house only). Linen Closet.

Cost of left-hand and inner houses, including all extras, £293 per cottage. (Built in 1904.)

The right-hand house, owing to the extra conveniences, works out at rather more.

In the middle house the recess between the range and small window makes a very convenient space for a writing table, especially if curtains are dropped from a rod to screen it off, its proximity to the range making it a warm and cosy retreat in winter. There is a bay window to the living room of the outside houses.

Two of the houses in this block are fitted with Cornes’ Patent Combined Scullery-Bath-Range and Boiler, described on page 52, and the third with the “Cabinet” bath.

The elevation, with the forecourt formed by the projection of the two outside houses, may be made very pleasing. From the perspective it will be seen that the inner house is covered with rough-cast, making an agreeable contrast with the outer ones of plain brickwork. Rough-cast, while fairly economical, is very effective, and helps to brighten the forecourt. The projection of the outer houses affords a break, the abruptness of which does not attract attention, but which gives an opportunity of stopping the rough-cast, which would otherwise have to be carried round to the back of the whole block.

It is not advisable to introduce a variety of colour upon exteriors. Colour is best disposed in masses—that is, it should be treated broadly, not distributed in isolated portions, or in sharply contrasting tints. (See page 59.)

The roof of this block is of green slates of varying sizes, diminishing towards the ridge.

Aspect in the placing of the house is here studied as well as the site. The axis runs south-west and north-east, and the front commands a pleasing perspective of one of the principal Bournville roads, and an admirable view of the Lickey Hills in the distance.

DESCRIPTIONS OF PLATES XXXI.-XXXIII.

PLATE XXXI.

PAIR OF COTTAGES (SHALLOW SITE).

The view shown in this plate illustrates the treatment of a shallow corner site, the block being a pair of semi-detached, double-fronted cottages. The plan is similar to the middle house of the foregoing block.

PLATE XXXII.

PAIR OF COTTAGES.

A pair of cottages also planned on the same lines as the middle house shown in Plate XXIX. and the foregoing shallow-site pair, but placed at right angles instead of lengthwise, and occupying a corner position.

PLATE XXXIII.

PAIR OF COTTAGES.

An example of a pair of cottages treated in the Dutch style.

DESCRIPTION OF PLATES XXXIV. AND XXXV.

PLATE XXXIV.

PAIR OF COTTAGES.

The accommodation of the pair of cottages shown in this plate is as follows:—

GROUND FLOOR.

Parlour, 11 ft. 4 ins. × 13 ft. 6 ins., and bay. Living room,
11 ft. 6 ins. × 14 ft. 5 ins. (French Windows). Kitchen, 10 ft.
8 ins. × 12 ft. 3 ins. Larder. Porch, Hall, and Clock Space
under stairs. Tools, W.C., and Coals (Enclosed yard).

BEDROOM FLOOR.

First Bedroom, 11 ft. 4 ins. × 13 ft. 6 ins. Second Bedroom, 11
ft. 6 ins. × 14 ft. 5 ins. Third Bedroom, 8 ft. 6 ins. × 10 ft.
8 ins. Bath Room (hot and cold water).

Height of rooms: Ground floor, 8 ft. 9 ins.; first floor, 8 ft. 6 ins.

Total cost, including all extras, £375 per cottage.

Laying out of gardens, £12 10_s._ each.

Cubical contents, 34,285 ft., at 5¼_d._ per foot cube = £375 per cottage. (Built in 1903.)

MATERIALS.—Whitewashed common bricks are here used. Whitewash is cheap and may be used very effectively, especially where there are trees in the background. The roofs and dormers are hipped, and covered with Welsh green slates and blue half-round ridges; the chimney pots are buff-colour.

SILLS.—The sills, as in many of the other houses, are formed of calf-nosed bricks set on edge in cement, with two courses of tiles beneath, which form a drip under the sill, and with a backing of slate in cement. By bringing the window-frame forward to reduce the size of the top of the sill, damp and the driving in of rain are prevented. This makes an inexpensive sill, and adds to the homely appearance of the cottage.

INTERIOR WALL DECORATION.—The interior wall decoration is Duresco throughout. Plain ingrain paper, of which there is a number of very cheap kinds now on the market, might be used with a frieze. A good effect is obtained by bringing down the white from the ceiling as far as the picture rail, which gives light to the room and improves its proportions.

The exterior woodwork is painted a Verona green.

FIREPLACES.—Fireplaces suitable for this or any of the six-roomed cottages are as follows:—

Front Room: interior grate, slabbed surrounds, tiled hearth,
and white wood chimney piece. Living Room: iron tiled
mantel-sham. Kitchen: 3 ft. range with white tiled coves and
York stone shelf and trusses. Front Bedroom: 30 in. mantel-sham
and tiled hearth. Back Bedrooms: 24 in. mantel-sham and tiled
hearth.

The total cost of the whole should not amount to more than £12.

The scullery is lengthened by a projection in the nature of a bay. The outbuildings, which are carried to right and left of the pair, give privacy to the garden near to the houses.

PLATE XXXV.

PAIR OF COTTAGES.

This plate illustrates one of several different treatments of the last plan.

PLATES XXXVI., XXXVII., AND XXXVIII.

SINGLE COTTAGE.

Plate XXXVI. gives the plan of a single cottage occupying a corner site. It contains:—

GROUND FLOOR.

Drawing Room, 12 ft. 6 ins. × 13 ft. 6 ins., and bay. Dining
Room, 13 ft. × 13 ft., and bay (French casements). Kitchen, 10
ft. × 11 ft. Scullery, 8 ft. × 10 ft. Larder. Porch and Hall,
with Cloak Space under stairs. Coals, Tools, and W.C.

BEDROOM FLOOR.

First Bedroom, 13 ft. 6 ins. × 15 ft. 9 ins. Second Bedroom,
11 ft. 6 ins. × 13 ft. Third Bedroom, 10 ft. × 13 ft. Dressing
Room. Cupboards. Bathroom, with W.C. and Lavatory (hot and cold
water).

As will be seen, there is very little space wasted in the planning of the rooms.

The whole of the exterior is rough-cast. The front bedroom is enlarged and projects over the ground floor, giving a pleasant shade to the lower portion of the elevation, while the roof is continued over one side and carried down to form the porch. The gable is of half-timber framing.

The roof is covered with Hartshill hand-made tiles, which, while richly toning and colouring, have admirably stood the test of several years’ hard weather, and have proved much more durable than the pressed tile used for some of the other cottages at Bournville.

The plan of the cottage might be simplified by gabling back and front, the roof thus covering the whole building, and having no valleys. The bedroom accommodation could be then increased by the addition of attics.

Two views of the actual example appear in Plates XXXVII. and XXXVIII.

DESCRIPTIONS OF PLATES XXXIX.-XLII.

PLATES XXXIX., XL., XLI., AND XLII.

SINGLE COTTAGE.

Another single cottage has accommodation as follows:—

GROUND FLOOR.

Living Room, including roomy alcove, 13 ft. 5 ins. × 15 ft. 6
ins. Kitchen, 10 ft. × 13 ft. 5 ins. Scullery, Larder, Tools,
W.C., Coals, and Enclosed Yard.

BEDROOM FLOOR.

First Bedroom, 13 ft. 5 ins. × 15 ft. 6 ins. Second Bedroom, 10
ft. × 13 ft. 5 ins. Third Bedroom, 9 ft. 6 ins. × 9 ft. 6 ins.
Bathroom (hot and cold water) and W.C.

Spacious Attic (shown by dotted lines) and Boxrooms.

Total cost, in 1903, £540.

Cubical contents, 19,938 ft., at 6½_d._ per ft. cube, £540.

By hanging a curtain, the alcove shown in the plan may be made private for writing or studying, if required. It may also be used for meals; and if a door communicates with the hall, the table may be laid by the maid unseen by the visitor, and the curtains afterwards drawn apart. Thus one of the disadvantages urged against the larger-sized houses with one large living room may be overcome.

MATERIALS.—The cottage is built of whitewashed common bricks, with tarred plinth, the roof being covered with Peake’s dark brindled hand-made roofing tiles. It is without decoration, apart from what is afforded by the semicircular hood over the front door, the wrought-iron brackets supporting the gutters, and at the back a semicircular arch to give importance to the living room. There are shutters to all the ground floor windows, which are made to bolt from within.

The view shown in Plate XL. is of the back.

Plates XLI. and XLII. show the staircase and dining room respectively.

DESCRIPTIONS OF PLATES XLIII. AND XLIV.

PLATES XLIII. AND XLIV.

SINGLE COTTAGE.

Plates XLIII. and XLIV. show the plan and view respectively of another type of single cottage, with the following accommodation:—

GROUND FLOOR.

Dining Room, 13 ft. × 19 ft., and small alcove. Drawing Room,
13 ft. × 16 ft. 6 ins., and bay. Kitchen, 9 ft. 6 ins. × 15 ft.

Scullery, 8 ft. 6 ins. × 9 ft. 4 ins. Larder, Coals, Ashes,
W.C., and Enclosed Yard.

BEDROOM FLOOR.

First Bedroom, 13 ft. × 13 ft. 4 ins. Second Bedroom, 12 ft.
× 13 ft., and large bay. Third Bedroom, 9 ft. 6 ins. × 12 ft.
Fourth Bedroom, 8 ft. 6 ins. × 13 ft. 4 ins. Bathroom, with
Lavatory and W.C. Large Attic, extending over almost the whole
of the four rooms.

Total cost, in 1904, £640. Cubical contents, 25,077 ft. at 6⅛_d._ per ft. cube = £640.

By the arrangement of the stairs it will be noticed that additional space is secured to the dining room, forming a pleasant arched alcove.

MATERIALS.—The materials used are brindled bricks, Peake’s hand-made roofing tiles, hips and ridges covered with half-round ridge-tiles, 6 in. half-round spouts with ornamental stays, projecting hood of timber, covered with lead and supported by two wrought-iron stays, red tall-boy chimney pots, doors painted Suffield green, window sashes and frames ivory white, and eaves, gutters and down-spouts lead colour.

PLATES XLV., XLVI., AND XLVII.

PAIR OF THREE-STOREY COTTAGES.

Plates XLV. and XLVI. give plans, and Plate XLVII. the view of a pair of three-storey cottages of about the same accommodation, the left-hand having the following:—

GROUND FLOOR.

Dining Room, 11 ft. 6 ins. × 18 ft., with French window.
Drawing Room, 12 ft. 6 ins. × 15 ft., with deep bay. Small
Sitting Room, 7 ft. × 11 ft. 2 ins. Working Kitchen, 11 ft. 2
in. × 12 ft. 6 ins. Larder and China Pantry, Porch and Hall.
W.C., Coals, Tools, and Enclosed Yard.

BEDROOM FLOOR.

First Bedroom, 12 ft. 6 ins. × 15 ft., and deep bay. Second
Bedroom, 11 ft. 6 ins. × 16 ft. Third Bedroom, 10 ft. 6 ins. ×
11 ft. 2 ins., with oriel. Bathroom, with Lavatory, W.C. Two
Attics and Large Box Room.

The accommodation in the two houses differs owing to the aspect. If the two plans were identical, a considerable portion of the right-hand garden would be shut off from the south, and the larder would not face the north. Stress has already been laid on the necessity of considering aspect.

The left-hand is a corner house, and the projecting out-houses answer the double purpose of screening the garden from the road and protecting the house from the north wind.

In the adjoining house there is no small sitting room, but an extra attic. The outbuildings are attached to the main building, and do not project into the garden; the principal room is thus left open to the south.

MATERIALS.—The houses are built of common bricks whitewashed, with a tarred plinth. There are half-timber porches, and the spaces between the bays and under the dormers are covered with rough-cast and decorated with parquetry. The rainwater head in front is picked out in vermillion, the introduction of a very little bright colour giving a pleasant jewel-like effect. Peake’s hand-made tiles, of dark colour, are used for the roofs, with half-round ridging, and ornamental iron stays support the gutters, which are of 6 in. half-round iron.

A pair of houses erected to a similar plan to that of the right-hand house in 1904 cost £610 each. The cost of the examples given work out more owing to the fall in the land, which necessitates very deep footings, and also to the plans differing in order to suit aspect and site.

PLATE XLVIII.

PAIR OF THREE-STOREY COTTAGES.

Plate XLVIII. gives the view of a pair of houses similar to the last, but somewhat reduced in size, and the treatment varied. Brindled bricks are used for the ground floor, and rough-cast for the upper storeys.

PLATES XLIX., L., LI., LII., LIII., LIV., AND LV.

TWO PAIRS OF COTTAGES.

These plates illustrate two pairs of cottages of two storeys each, almost identical in plan, but differently treated.

The accommodation of the pair shown in Plates XLIX. and L. is:—

GROUND FLOOR.

Dining Room, 13 ft. 6 in. × 16 ft. and bay. Drawing Room, 13
ft. 6 ins. × 16 ft. 3 ins., including ingle and bay window.
Kitchen, 10 ft. 6 ins. × 12 ft. Hall, with storm doors, 12 ft.
6 ins. × 10 ft. Scullery, Larder, W.C., Coals, and Tool House.

Frontage, 15 yds.

BEDROOM FLOOR.

First Bedroom, 12 ft. × 16 ft. 3 ins., and bay. Second Bedroom,
12 ft. 4 ins. × 13 ft. 6 in. Third Bedroom, 10 ft. × 10 ft. 2
ins. Fourth Bedroom, 9 ft. × 13 ft. 6 ins. Boxroom, 8 ft. × 10
ft. Bathroom, with Lavatory, and W.C.

The dining room is lighted by a small east window and a west bay window, the latter being covered by the roof of the verandah, which terminates in the bay window of the drawing room. Although the kitchen is a small one, it has the advantage of not being a passage room, the door from the hall to the kitchen and that from the kitchen to the scullery being arranged beside one another in the same wall. In these houses the windows have wooden frames and wrought-iron casements.

The principal rooms occupy the full width of the back, and the hall is therefore extended to admit of the doors of the two rooms being conveniently placed.

INGLE NOOK.—The ingle which results from this arrangement has a beam with a shelf above continuing the line of the architrave, and the ceiling of the ingle is only 6 ft. 6 in. high. There is a small light on one side.

The ingle nook is shown on Plate LI., and a view of the oriel on Plate LII.

The pair of cottages shown in Plates LIII. and LIV. have outer porches, whereby the size of the hall is reduced. A separate view of one of them is given on Plate LV.

In this example, as in the former also, the outlook at the back of the house is to be preferred to that in the front, and as should always be done when the aspect is favourable, the principal rooms are placed at the back. There is in this instance a west prospect, with a delightful view of undulating woodland and distant hills. The forecourt affords a pleasant outlook from within the house. The lowness of the eaves has the effect of giving the pair a very homely and cottage-like appearance. The height of the bedrooms in the former example is 8 ft. 3 in.

PLATES LVI. AND LVII.

SINGLE COTTAGE.

Plate LVI. gives a single cottage of a plan similar to the last, with enlarged accommodation and somewhat different treatment, namely:—

Rough-cast from ground, with tarred plinth; oriel window to first floor, with the introduction of a little colour in parquetry, which is also applied round the small window over the entrance, and a half-timber porch glazed with leaded lights, having coloured centres of rich glass. The cloak space is here converted into a china pantry.

A separate view of the porch is shown on Plate LVII.

GENERAL NOTES.

THE BATH.—The bath, without which no house is nowadays regarded as complete, should be supplied in all cottages, however small. At Bournville, wherever there is no bathroom, the bath is placed in the kitchen, this room being considered the most suitable: hot water is here at hand, and, as there is usually a fire in winter, it is both more convenient and comfortable than in one of the bedrooms, where the space can be ill-spared, especially where there are children. Even in the kitchens of these small cottages there is necessarily none too much space, and various devices have been employed to prevent the bath being an inconvenience when not in use. One way of disposing of it is to sink it into the floor near the hearth, the boarded covering serving as a standing or draining board when the bath is in use. Another way, where there is a little more room to spare, is to fix it on the usual floor level, and make its cover serve as a settle or table. The introduction of the Patent Adjustable Cabinet Bath, however, is better than either of these methods. In this arrangement the bath is hinged at the bottom of one end in order that it may be easily lowered from and raised back into the cabinet, where in its vertical position it is no inconvenience when not in use. In the hinge a waste pipe is introduced. With this bath not only is there a gain of space, but the bath may be used with a saving of time and labour, and without fear of deluging the floor. Above the cupboard in which the bath is kept are convenient shelves. The cost of the bath and cabinet is about £3 5_s._ The illustration on the last page shows a bath of this kind fitted in one of the Bournville cottages.

Another patent bath used at Bournville in cottages of larger size but not sufficiently large to admit of a bathroom is Cornes’ Combined Scullery-Bath-Range and Boiler. The patent utilises to the fullest extent the heat of the kitchen, so that, in addition to the economy of space, there is a further economy of fuel to the householder. The heating and cooking range forms a great part of the division between the kitchen and scullery-bathroom, the flue being coursed over the head of the bath. In the centre of the range is the grate, with an oven on one side and on the other a twelve-gallon boiler, in which water is kept hot for domestic purposes. Boiling water can be obtained by raking down live fuel into a small secondary grate under the boiler through a small hole made for the purpose. If desired, clothes can be boiled in the boiler and access to it from the scullery may be gained by opening a curved door. Owing to its open construction there is no risk of explosion. Further developments have been made in the way of providing a folding door in front of the range, which will shut off the boiler from the kitchen when necessary. The scullery-bathroom, which contains about 36 superficial feet, is fitted with a full-sized iron enamelled bath, supplied with hot water through a pipe from the range boiler and with cold water from the cistern, or through a shower-bath sprinkler fixed overhead, so that this latter luxury can be enjoyed by simply turning the tap. The introduction of White’s Patent Steam Exhaust effectually prevents the steam from permeating the other rooms of the house. An illustration is here given showing Cornes’ patent fitted up.

THE INGLE NOOK.—Like many old-time features which have been revived during the last few years, the ingle nook has perhaps been a little overdone. The ingle is intended to serve as a cosy retreat in a spacious room, and it should not be introduced in a room the size of which is insufficient to warrant its existence. On this account it is usually undesirable to provide ingle nooks in cottages, except in those with the large living-rooms. Comfort should always be the object in view in the construction of the ingle, but in many modern examples this is sacrificed to over elaboration and that straining for effect which shows that it was designed for ornament and not for use. No doubt an effect is sometimes gained, but the usefulness of the ingle is so far sacrificed that not infrequently one of most inviting appearance will be found to possess inadequate seating accommodation even for a single person.

The ingle, to be comfortable and useful, should not be less than 10 ft. 6 ins. in width by 4 ft. 6 ins. in depth. If it is smaller lengthways the heat from the fire will be too great, while if less deep there will be insufficient accommodation at the sides for two persons without projecting the seats into the room, which can only be satisfactorily done, perhaps, when the side of the ingle is in line with that of the room. A reasonable height is 6 ft. 6 ins. A pleasing way of treating a cottage ingle is to introduce a step up of about 3 ins., with an oak curb, and to tile or quarry the whole recess, as illustrated by the accompanying drawing. This ingle, which is provided in the pair of cottages with the large living-rooms dealt with earlier (Plate XX.), is constructed as follows:-¾ in. match-boarding is nailed to studding, which has stout angle-posts to support the beam above; along the side of the latter a 7-in. by 1-in. shelf is carried by small wooden brackets; and the wood seats are of 1¼ ins. in thickness by 1 ft. 4 ins. from back to front, at a height of 1 ft. 3 ins. or less from the floor. The introduction of the ingle here is advantageous because some privacy is thus afforded in a room which is entered directly from the road. The match-boarding in this case is continued, and forms a framework for the tile-surround of the grate, giving an appearance of unity to the nook, while the simplicity of the material is pleasing and restful. The insertion of a mantelpiece different in character should be avoided. Some interest may be given to the centre of the fireplace by inlaying a little ebony in simple forms.

For drawing-rooms of larger houses the back of the nook might be panelled, the seat upholstered, and the panels filled in with tapestry. White wood looks well, and the fireplace might be built up with glazed brickettes. The ways of treating the more expensive ingles are so numerous, however, that it would be of little use making definite suggestions.

The ingle nook of one of the larger cottages is illustrated on Plate LI.

CHIMNEYS.—The economy of grouping chimneys, and the desirability of carrying them to the highest point of the roof to avoid down-draughts, has already been mentioned. Generally speaking, for cottages, the simpler the chimneys are the better, and they should all be of hard burnt bricks, and the top courses built in cement. Diagonal chimneys are pleasing, but expensive, and on an estate should only be used occasionally. The Dutch chimneys, built up with corners of brick and covered with stone slabs or 12-in. drain pipes, as frequently seen in Holland and Belgium, are picturesque (see Plate XXII.), but care has to be exercised in their construction. Though they are often regarded as being liable to smoke, it may be pointed out that in many cases their employment is the only remedy for a smoky flue. Outside chimneys, it will be borne in mind, are always expensive. Chimney pots do not improve the appearance, but sometimes they are a necessity. In these cases the simple or plain tall-boys are recommended, and the colour—whether of soft red or buff—should be chosen to suit the design and colouring of the cottage. As a variation of these there are the beehive pots, the main idea of which is to keep down the height.

WINDOWS.—The casement window is cheaper than the sash window, and if beauty of effect is also to be considered its adoption is further desirable. Its simplicity and homeliness of appearance render it extremely fitting for the cottage. The old difficulty of cleaning may now be obviated by a very simple device introduced at Bournville, that of causing the window to open upon a pivot in the centre, inwardly as well as outwardly, which admits of the outside of the fixed pane being easily reached by the hand.

The sash window, while objectionable in the form frequently used, may yet be made suitable for cottages; but it should be divided, and the proportions very carefully studied, say 9-in. by 11-in. panes, and the bars not less than 1 in. in thickness. It should be brought forward, showing the full width of the boxing. The sash window, however, necessitates an additional height to rooms.

BRICKS.—As regards bricks, it is well as far as possible to avoid those which are mechanically made (the pressed stock-brick) and to use the hand-made bricks from local yards. The brindled Staffordshire bricks are largely used at Bournville; they are very suitable for cottage building where the position is not too exposed. A pleasing variety of colour is introduced at a low cost, the tint being a bright cherry red blended with blue and purple, the blue being quite different from the dead blue-black of the vitreous brick. For inside work the common red wire-cuts are suitable.

It is a mistake to suppose that a good effect cannot be obtained by the use of the cheaper makes of bricks, a remark which also applies in the case of the London stock-bricks, so long as they are not uniformly selected; a good effect may be gained, for instance, by using a few of the darker ones indiscriminately with the cream-coloured ones. The splash of dark colour caused by the black ones coming together is by no means undesirable. A good example of an effective use of these bricks is to be seen at Brewer’s Estate, London.

ROOF COVERING.—The materials to be employed in roofing depend upon the style of cottage, and also upon the locality. The Bangor slates are cheap, and may be an excellent covering as regards durability; but unfortunately, in the class of cottages here dealt with, it is rarely possible to get so good an effect with them as with other kinds. They may be used, however, in the whitewashed cottage, so long as the smaller sizes are selected. Hand-made roofing tiles, and thick Welsh green and rustic Precelly slates may be recommended, as also the Peake’s & Hartshill hand-made tiles.

Pantiles are cheap, but should only be employed on unbroken roofs having few valleys, where it is less difficult to keep out the wet. The roof should be steep, the angle in no case being less than 45 degrees. Before covering, care should be taken to ascertain whether they are of good manufacture, and whether they are porous or not. There are sometimes pantiles of an indifferent quality on the market; and, if this precaution is not taken, a roof may have to be stripped and re-tiled. Where they have been used and have afterwards been found to be bad they may be tarred, as are wood coverings in Norway and Sweden. It is always essential that the services of a practised layer of pantiles should be secured.

Gables should have damp courses under the coping to shield them from frost and wet.

Roof ridging should have careful attention, and it is wiser to suppress rather than to sharpen, the better to obtain that rustic appearance suitable to a cottage. Many fantastic ridges, with vulgar finials, are employed in the building of small suburban villas, of a more or less sharp-pointed character, and of a depth out of proportion to the roof, which gives an unpleasant harshness to the general appearance. With the principle in view that the sky-line should be softened as much as possible, the brindled hand-made half-rounds should be used. With green slates, ridges of blue are the most suitable, as the colours harmonise. Experience will probably show that the red and buff ridges will not stand the weather so well as other kinds.

WALL SPACES: ROUGH-CAST—WHITEWASH—HALF-TIMBER.—However strong may be the temptation to introduce a variety of colour upon exteriors, it is advisable with cottages of the class dealt with to refrain from so doing. It is best to get the colour in masses, treated broadly—say, each house, as far as wall surfaces and roof are concerned, of one colour; for where the cottages stand close together, or even where they are semi-detached, sufficient contrast or relief is afforded by contiguous cottages treated differently, and in the case of a village a much better general effect is thus gained. On the other hand a good effect may be gained by giving a block of houses one tone throughout, matching the colour of the roof. The result is quiet and unobtrusive, and one which is very desirable in the cottage, where the features are necessarily brought close together. The tarred plinth, however, should always be used with rough-cast.

Half-timber should be used sparingly. While the bye-laws insist on a 9-in. wall being at the back, an unwarranted present and future expense is incurred by its use; and an effect equally as good, moreover, may be obtained with rough-cast, weather boarding, or whitewash. Half-timber one lives to regret, for the weather tells sadly upon it, and it demands constant repair.

A small cottage with an equal distribution of equal-sized windows is far from desirable. In a pair of cottages where there are four equal rooms facing the road, four equal windows would at first sight seem unavoidable, although such an arrangement would be fatal to the elevation. It is better to put a secondary light to the rooms at the extremities, getting additional light from the side, and thus by contrast giving greater importance to the larger windows in the centre, or even to omit the smaller windows, if adequate light can be obtained without them. The blank space might then be used for the training up of climbing plants. A certain number of windows is indispensable in a cottage, but, without stinting light, the aim should rather be to repress any superfluity. By the means suggested the view from the interior is sometimes agreeably varied.

Other features are dealt with in the descriptions of the various cottages to which they have particular reference.

THE LAYING OUT OF A MODEL VILLAGE.

Let it be supposed that land has been bought to be laid out as a model village. Whether this has been done by a company, a municipal body, or by an individual, is not material to the present purpose. Assuming that the selection of the site has had careful consideration, and that it is suitable for the development of a village, what is the first step? Before turning a sod the clearest conception of the finished scheme must have been formed. A dozen cottages or so erected before considering the future of the whole project may involve endless trouble at a later stage. The initial proceeding, therefore, is to make the general plan as complete and final as possible before commencing actual operations. Up to the present it has been the difficulty of co-operation among landlords, perhaps unavoidable, either by the piecemeal acquisition of land or the fitful demand for building, which has been the cause of many of our towns and suburbs being the reverse of pleasing. A century or so ago, when domestic architecture was a traditionally living art, and building was conducted less hurriedly, a certain charm of effect was no doubt obtained by this accidental or fitful extension, though convenience was certainly not always considered; but in the present day we should avail ourselves of the opportunity which a large or co-operative scheme offers for a convenient and agreeable disposition of buildings.

REGARD OF PHYSICAL FEATURES.—As the following suggestions do not refer to any specific example of land which is to be laid out as a model village, they can only be regarded as having general applicability. The treatment of particular land depends upon its peculiar physical features. Land in a gently undulating district, for instance, must be dealt with in quite a different manner from that in flat country. The natural features themselves must be the basis of any satisfactory treatment, and they are to be made the most of, not only with regard to their intrinsic beauty, but also any material advantages they may offer.

ADVISORY ARCHITECT.—If a village is being developed by an individual in a private capacity it is not improbable, indeed it is very natural, that he will expect the general operations to be carried out in accordance with his particular taste or fancy, which, however, may happen to be far from practical or artistic, and his scheme is likely to suffer accordingly. So too in the case of an estate developed by a governing body consisting of men who are not qualified for the task, the possibility of failure is equally great. The best course is to employ an advisory architect about whose qualifications there is no doubt, who should work in conjunction with the surveyor from the outset. It may be suggested, now that the movement is making considerable progress, that the Royal Institute of British Architects should be asked to suggest an architect in such cases. A greater variety, however, in the plan and design of the houses might perhaps be secured by employing more than one architect. A man’s ideas are liable to run in a groove; and even if variation is introduced in detail there is likely to be a similarity in general character. Moreover, where two or more architects are engaged, a healthy rivalry might result in the designing of houses which shall fulfil all the conditions of convenience, compactness, and economy. The respective work of the various architects might be confined to particular streets, but a regular system of variation should be avoided. Method should not be too obtrusive or the arrangement too mechanical. The advisory architect must be selected with judgment, for on him will devolve the working out of the general road-scheme, and this will demand more talent than the merely practical man possesses.

The caution already urged against doing anything on the estate without mature consideration expressly applies to the cutting of roads and the reservation of spaces. Given a map of our land, the fancy is not usually slow in disposing of it; and it is only with the progress of operations, when a number of unforeseen demands make themselves disagreeably formidable, that it is seen how wanton this ready fancy has been.

THE SELECTION OF CENTRES.—The first questions to be decided are the number and positions of the centres, for it is to and from these that the most convenient and accessible connections must be planned, and the centres themselves should be reserved as the sites of parks, principal buildings, shops and the like.

If the land is already entered by one or more turnpike roads which may not be diverted, these should guide the cutting of the new roads, and the chief centres of the village must be made as accessible as possible from them. If an existing road only approaches the land, and only one connection is deemed necessary, the connection should be constructed to suit the village as a whole, without partiality to any one extremity, always keeping the centres in view. It is nearly always better to work to the contour of the land, taking a gentle sweep in preference to a straight line.

The site of the chief centre, not forgetting to keep in view its general accessibility, should if possible be on the highest point of the village, such a position giving prominence over the whole, as well as a more imposing elevation and dignity to the principal buildings which are to be erected thereon. The nature of the buildings would depend altogether on the size of the scheme. In the case of a garden city they would possibly include council chambers, theatre, museum, library or other monumental buildings of a like character, and as large spaces as possible should be reserved around them for extensions and gardens. A great city, in which it has been decided to build a cathedral, has found itself before now in the dilemma of having no suitable site available, and the monument of beauty has had to make the best of beggarly and ugly neighbours. It is as well to profit by the errors of the past, and the utmost should therefore be done to save a garden city or model village from ever getting congested at its chief centre.

The other centres should be places of distinct interest, such as schools, railway station, or market-place, but secondary to the chief one.

ROADS.—The buildings will not be sky-scrapers, and the roads, therefore, will not, in order that they may be ventilated, have to be set out in straight lines in order to be wind-swept, intersecting at unpleasing right angles like a gridiron. Though the main streets should be planned with some degree of straightness for the convenience of getting to and from important places, there is no reason why regularity should be sought after for its own sake; at the same time an unnecessary irregularity should be as much avoided. Where one straight road unavoidably meets another at right angles, it is a good plan to widen the point of intersection. This particularly applies to a road taking a hill straight—that is, at its shortest length. A pleasing perspective will be given by thus widening, and on the triangular space formed might be erected a fountain or monument, with or without a grass plot. As an alternative, if the ground is too valuable to be so disposed of, the road might be terminated by slightly curving it to the left or right, and the corner remaining used for building upon. In the residential portion of the village or garden city, roads running due east and west should be avoided if possible. When this precaution has been taken, much scheming to get the sun on the front as well as the back of the house will be spared. As is well known, a kitchen with a south aspect is unbearable in the heat of the summer. Where the road unavoidably runs east and west, the gardens of houses on the north side should occupy the front and not the back of the plot.

Trees should be planted in all roads, and the chief roads should be arranged on the boulevard plan, allowing the utmost freedom to the pedestrian. A few spaces might be reserved for shelters, and the site for a bandstand might be timely chosen. As much as possible should be done to give breadth to all thoroughfares, and to this end the building-line of the houses should be well back from the road—thirty feet at least—the ample front-garden giving a refreshing greenness to the prospect, besides a better perspective to the houses. The width of roads should be from forty to fifty feet, with paths of from eight to twelve feet, not less.

Minor open spaces, such as playgrounds for young children, are pleasant along the road side, but road-making is costly, and economy in all probability will have to be studied; back land, therefore, should be utilised for them at the bottom of garden plots.

STREET ELEVATIONS.—In building a road of houses the expense would of course be considerable if to get variety a different plan and different details were employed for each house. Other methods must be adopted. In the case of twenty houses it would be well to get as many details, such as windows, doors, and door-frames, the same (or, at any rate, half of one kind and half of another), and monotony should be avoided by variation in the disposition of these features. An extensive elevation may also be made interesting by the treatment of a porch here, the addition of a bay window there, and the use of rough-cast somewhere else. An irregular building-line, where possible, is to be preferred. In a block of three cottages a pleasing effect is gained by projecting or recessing the middle one, or putting it with its long axis parallel with the road, and so forming a forecourt in front.

SERVICE OF NATURAL ADVANTAGES.—Whatever natural advantages the land may possess, such as woods, pools, or streams (where they are not included in a park), should border, or be seen from, the road—that is if they merit the expense of road-making. Few things are more picturesque than a stream at the roadside (as at Tissington in Derbyshire), especially if spanned here and there by small bridges (as at Bourton-on-the-Water), and by their presence the road will be widened from house front to house front. The water of a stream should never be utilised for a manufacturing purpose where it afterwards flows through the village, except for generating electric power or other clean uses. If there is an avenue of old trees it should be secured for one of the roads.

SHOPPING.—The chief shopping will be best placed just without and surrounding the main centre, and that of less importance round the minor centres.

FACTORIES.—Supposing that the _raison d’être_ of the village or garden city be one or more industries in which many of the inhabitants are employed, where, it will be asked, are the factories to be placed? Without a definite example of land, it is difficult to give a definite reply. Many things are essential to such sites—for instance, the adjacency of a stream, river, or railway—and if the manufacturer transfers his works to the country, he will rightly choose the most convenient and advantageous site for them that offers, and other arrangements will have to be made in concert with him. Nevertheless, the factory or factories should be as far as possible from the main centre, that is on the village or city outskirts. The preferable position would lie between the north-east and south-west, for the prevalent south-west wind will then carry away the smoke in summer, when the villagers indulge in outdoor life, while the north and easterly winds of winter will carry it over the village when they are indoors. Screens of trees should be planted between the village and the factories as soon as possible.

PLOTS FOR HOUSES.—As to the treatment of the plots for houses: should the road cut into the land it need not necessarily be levelled, but taken as it is; the gables will thus present a desirable variation of level, and the ridge line will be less monotonous. An endeavour should be made, however, always to get the plots not less than 18 ins. above the level of the crown of the road, otherwise the drainage will be troublesome and expensive.

As soon as the house is erected, it is well to set hedges of thorn or beech, both along the roadside and between the houses. Until these are grown, the ordinary iron hurdle, or light-railed wooden fence, might serve.

It is advisable to arrange the building plots so that the houses on either side of the road do not come exactly opposite each other; the houses should be so arranged as to face the open space opposite.

GARDENS.—At Bournville the average garden-space allowed each house is 600 square yards, this being found to be about as much as the average man can well attend to. (This means there will be from eight to twelve cottages to the acre.) The laying out is done prior to the tenant’s occupation of the house. A description of the way the Bournville gardens are laid out is given, with a plan, on page 23.

When the houses are placed at the end of the plot remote from the road, any hard and fast lines in the style of the garden should be avoided: apple and other fruit-trees, or an occasional kitchen-garden, may be placed in a prominent position, for even the trim flower-garden might be varied with advantage. A preference has already been expressed for having the garden adjacent to the house rather than the allotment garden at a distance, but at the same time the latter plan may be sometimes forced upon us. Undoubtedly the rivalry that is encouraged among gardeners congregated together in allotment gardens is good and healthy, but the inconvenience to the household of the distance between home and garden would suggest the adoption of the former whenever it is possible, and even where there is an allotment there should still be a small plot adjacent to the house.

While endeavouring to get as much light and air space as possible in the village, it will frequently be found necessary to erect cottages in blocks of four, and sometimes of eight. In order to give adequate garden-space, even to small houses, and not in long thin strips, the frontage of the land will have to be broad; a rule should be made, therefore, of spreading the houses laterally by arranging the staircase of each house, not between the back and front rooms, but between the houses. This will bring the outside houses nearer to the extremity of the land, and will not only give each garden the desired straightness and breadth, but afford a greater breadth of view upon it from within.