WARNSCALE HEAD - Description and plan

Location: NY 205 133 (SE of Buttermere, Cumbria)

Warnscale Head is a single room mine cottage, built probably in the 1750s for the slate mine opened by the new landowner James Spedding, and used intermittently until around 1812 (see pp 13-19 of Journal 51 of the Lorton and Derwentfells Family History Society).

It was reroofed in traditional style in 1985 (see `Oak pegs and parging', pp 22-23 of MBA Journal 75, December 1985).
Following winter storm damage, the roof was repaired in 2006 with the addition of a waterproof lining under the slates.

External walls and foundations

The external walls are of dry-stone construction, the material being local slate, standing 1.5 to 2 metres high (2.8 m at gable apexes). They are almost entirely original.

The building has no foundations, being built directly on a rocky site.

Roof structure & enclosed roof spaces

The roof structure is of traditional construction from oak. It was all new in 1985 (there being no timber remaining from the original roof), and was used green (unseasoned); the oak came from Arniston, Midlothian.

There are two main beams, approximately 3.7 m long and of 20 x 20 cm cross-section, running from gable to gable, with rafters 7.5 x 5 cm supporting battens 3 x 1.5 cm for each row of slates.

The slates are all local, most of them from the original roof. They are very rough, with sizes ranging from nearly 100 cm to 25 cm length. They were initially hung on the battens in traditional style using oak pegs, cut locally from green oak.

In October 2005 an intermediate layer of thin (approx 10mm) sarking boards, covered by breathable water-deflecting material, was inserted; this is nailed to the original timber roof structure. In April 2006 the slates were put back on using stainless steel screws with `penny' washers.

The ridge is of new pottery sections (125 degree angle); it was relaid in October 2012. Pointing is all in lime mortar.

There are no enclosed roof spaces.

Rooms and under-floor spaces

The one room is approximately 3.4 x 3.2 metres, with a low doorway (approx. 1.5 m high), two windows and a fireplace (see plan). The walls, including all lintels are entirely of dry-stone (slate) construction. The interior of the walls and roof slates have been parged (i.e. covered in lime cement).

The door, and door and window frames, are all of (seasoned) oak; the door and larger window frames were replaced in 2002. Windows are of single panes of 6 mm glass: the larger, front, window (60 x 50 cm) opens, the smaller gable window (25 x 25 cm) is fixed.

There is a stone shelf to the left of the fireplace. Rough stone benches have been built up along two of the walls.

There are no internal walls or under-floor spaces.

Chimneys, fireplaces & stoves

The one fireplace is of dry-stone construction, unlined, though there has been some external pointing of the flue. Its use is not encouraged, because of the lack of firewood.

Stairways and access ladders - none

Toilets - none

Attached & adjacent structures

There are two ruined rooms attached, one of which now forms an entrance courtyard (see plan). All is of dry-stone construction, and generally appears sound.

Plan


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Compiled by: Denis Mollison
email: denis.mollison (at) gmail.com

Last updated: November 2015