Nos 2 and 3 Ivy Cottages

Cadw's description

Location

Facing the sea with rear to Tor Lane and wing to Cresswell Street. The entrance from Cresswell Street.

History

One of a pair of late C18 or early C19 houses overlooking an extensive garden which may be delineated by the line of medieval cliff-top walls, since replaced. Much restored in mid C20, when all windows were renewed. The almost detached wing running down Cresswell Street was mostly rebuilt, and is now numbered No 3. Old photographs show similar small-paned sash windows, but 16-pane instead of 20-pane.

Exterior

House and holiday house. The house is the left half of a long pair of houses with No 1, unpainted roughcast with C20 plain-tile roofs. 5 chimneys overall: one small one to left, one large rendered stack on ridge to left of first bay window, one truncated on ridge to right of second bay window on No 2, one small to left of 2-storey bay on No 1 and another small one at right end. Two storeys, 7 bays overall. S front has near-symmetrical 3 bays to left (No 2) with canted bay windows each side of centre door with arched window over. Bays have 10-20-10-pane glazing and tiles continued over tops from main roof, but left bay window has wider ground floor with slate roofs. Arched window has radiating bars to head, and doorway has open-pedimented surround with pilasters to panelled door with square head. Central (4th) bay has a 20-pane sash each floor. The three bays to right, No 1, are similar to three bays to left, but instead of a matching canted bay window in the last bay, have a 20-pane sash each floor (listed in 1977 as windows without glazing bars), and door is half-glazed. .
Two attached wings, that to No 2 running S from W end, now numbered No 3, is nearly detached, linked by wall along Cresswell Street. Two-storey, painted stucco, with slate hipped roof and lean-to on S end wall, nogged brick eaves, original on S end, C20 on W side. Two-window range to garden, 2 12-pane sashes above, one below, rear to street is stuccoed with 3-window range, all blank except for 12-pane sash to 1st floor centre and 4-pane window in former door below. Linking No 3 and end of No 2 is a short high stuccoed wall with parapet, and depressed-arched broad doorway between limestone piers. Double doors each with 2 pointed long panels and timber studs on cover strips. The other wing runs back towards St Julian's Street from rear of No 1, low 2-storey with N stack on ridge to Cob Cottage.
Rear, to Tor Lane in painted stucco, has stair light to No 2 with coloured and etched glass in margins, and to extreme left, original 18-pane stair light to No 1. Iron plaque, Tor Lane, on rear wall to extreme right.

Reason for designation

Included as part of an unusual cottage-scale range picturesquely set on the cliff-top.