Building record MDR15819 - Bowler's Cottage and adjoining cottage, Main Road, Pentrich

Bowler's Cottage is now part of a five-bay range, approximately 20m long and 6m wide, with continuous roof-line and street-frontage. Originally, it was probably a single unit. A single fireplace was positioned off-centre in the south wall, and there was an entrance in the east frontage, opposite that to the street. Such cottages were widespread in the 18th century, but relatively few survive now. Bays 1 to 3 (now forming the 'adjoining' property) present a near symmetrical, two-storey, east façade, with windows to either side of a central doorway, a typical rural building of the mid to late 18th century, with gable-end stacks and central lobby entrance. Later designs usually incorporated three elements; the parlour, kitchen-living room and service room, and the latter accounts for the room being separated from the rest of the building at both floors by a stone wall. Hence, it appears that two separate structures stood here in the 18th century, meaning that they would be two of the oldest properties in the village. The Pentrich Rebellion of 1817, when many of the villagers took part in an armed uprising, resulted in many of the insurgent's homes being demolished in retribution. Before 1817, there were 125 houses, by 1821, there were only 73. (1)