The smallest of the English styles, the Cotswold
sometimes is described a an Ann Hathaway or Hansel and Gretel Cottage. It is a
ground-hugging, always asymmetrical style with a prominent brick or stone
chimney in the front or on the side that appears to be very large in relation to
the overall size of the house.
Other Distinguishing Characteristics
Walls of the originals were built of materials of the area - brick, stone,
wood siding, half timbers
Steep gable roof with complex lines
Casement windows
Dormer windows smaller than the other windows
Rooms tend to be small and irregularly shaped
Layout often necessitates walking through one room to get to another (even
the bedroom)
Upper-story bedrooms have steep walls and need dormers
History
The Cotswold Cottage was first built in the Cotswold
Hills of Gloucester, Hereford and Worcester, England, starting about the time of
the Norman conquest in 1066. The name is derived form “cot” (cottage) and “wold”
(wood) - cottage in a wood. The romantic design was very popular throughout the
United States in the 1920s and 1930s.
