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THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



position is reversed ; and another design has a wholly 

 plain front, and placed between the alternated ones. 

 Such is the utmost stretch of the variety that is shown. 



The objection is repeated which was urged against the 

 last-mentioned book of designs, that no back buildings 

 are devised, which are so very essential to the comfort 

 of any human habitation. The fuel, ashes, firing, pig, 

 and poultry should and must be accompaniments to the 

 rural dwelling, and the want of them forms a most 

 miserable and glaring deficiency. The wash-house must 

 not be forgotten, as cleanliness is a great promoter of 

 health, and the filth of its processes must be removed 

 from the living-rooms. xVnd the want of a garden in 

 both sets of designs shows an ignorance or carelessness 

 that is incapable of making the arrangements that are 

 universally known and generally acknowledged to be 

 essential to the comforts of labour. It may be said that 

 these adjuncts are left to be added in the circumstances 

 of the different localities. On this umlerstanding, the 

 fact should have been mentioned and explained in an ac- 

 companying essay or notice, as an implication of any 

 essential truth betokens a deficiency of statement, and 

 a total want of it may suspect or establish an utter 

 ignorance. 



The Royal English Agricultural Society has awarded 

 to Mr. Goddard, architect, Lincoln, a competition 

 prize for the best essay and desitcn on the subject of 

 labourers' cottages. The designs contain two cottages 

 joined longitudinally, and each dwelling has on the 

 ground floor only one living apartment, with a scullery 

 or pantry behind. The want of a second sitting apart- 

 ment renews the former objection. The arrangement of 

 three bed-rooms on the second floor is most proper, and 

 the elevation of the cottages is very just. The author 

 has made a very valuable step beyond Messrs. Waver 

 and Roberts, in forming a back area of smnll buildings, 

 which makes a large addition to the value of the designs. 

 The door of the cottages is placed in the ends, and there 

 is only one to each dwelling — consequently the ventila- 

 tion will be imperfect, owing to the want of a tra- 

 versing current of air between two doors when placed 

 on the opposite sides of a house, and cleanliness will be 

 prevented, and filthiness encouraged by every ingress 

 and egress from one door. This objection is a fatal one 

 in point of health and comfort. 



In any of the publications mentioned, no notice is 

 made of the site of the cottages, or of the aspect which 

 it obtains. This consideration is of much value in the 

 formation and location of human dwellings. The 

 climate of the country in most cases must determine the 

 position of the habitation ; and in Britain the most 

 eligible direction is that the front of the house embraces 

 the south, as being the mildest and warmest quarter of 

 the heavens. In South Wales and in the south-west 

 corner of England the south is a rainy and stormy point, 

 and the front of houses is necessarily turned from it : 

 but in all other parts of the kingdom the south is the 

 preferable quarter ; the west is generally boisterous 

 and rainy ; and the east, though bringing sharp colds, 

 is drier than the west, and less stormy. When the 

 nature of the ground, or any local circurostances, render 



necessary a deviation from the southerly position of 

 dwellings, the front is best turned to the south east, but 

 not reaching the full complement of the quarterly divi- 

 sion of the compass. Wc find that the ancient Romans, 

 with their usual acuteness, paid an essential rejiard, even 

 in the mild climate of Italy, to the position of their 

 dwellings, and gave directions not to be mistaken : 

 "yEdificium, unius lateris longitudine in quo frons erit, 

 meridianam partem respiciat : in primis angulo recipiens 

 ortum solis hyberni, et paululum ab occidente avertatur 

 hyemali. Ita proveniet, ut per hyemem sole illustretur, 

 etcalores ejussestatenonsentiat et lecto fruatur aspectu" 

 (Palladius, de Re Rustica). This rule can be applied 

 without exception all over Britain, especially in the 

 northern parts, where the west winds are very boisterous 

 and rainy ; and even in South Britain, where the 

 southerly winds are very wet and boisterous, and main- 

 tain the character of " pluvialis auster," the easterly 

 frontage of dwellings is preferable to the western quarter, 

 which is more windy than the east, but less rainy than 

 the south. It has been recommended to place a cottage 

 so that the sun shines on every side and end of it during 

 the daily circuit of the heavens, and this position will 

 require the front to face the south east ; the east end 

 of the house would receive the rising sun, the front will 

 be warmed by the rays of the midday, the west end will 

 receive the afternoon sun, and the back part be cheered 

 by the last effulgence of the setting luminary. But 

 many circumstances will concur to prevent the adoption 

 of this rule to any extent. 



Having stated our objections to the designs of the 

 three chief contributions of the present time in the matter 

 of labourers' cottages, and having noticed the points of 

 agreement betwixt the arrangements which these books 

 contain and tho suggestions of our own experience, we 

 proceed to lay down these our notions on this very 

 important point, and to state such reasons and give such 

 directions in advance as are justified and can be 

 allowed by the irresistible current-going advancement of 

 human civilization. 



Our introduction consists in three adoptions — that 

 every cottage have two living apartments on the ground 

 floor, three sleeping rooms on the second floor, and a 

 back area of small accommodations, where the acts of 

 cleansing are performed, and where articles are con- 

 cealed which never should be seen. Having laid down 

 these premises, we proceed to describe the accommoda- 

 tion and building of a cottage in the ideal, and atthe same 

 time the very possible conditions. 



The foundation must be dug to a solid stratum of some 

 hardened body, on which a building can be raised. A 

 depth of two feet will generally find a firm foundation, 

 and the trench must be at least three feet in width, 

 which will allow a projection of 9 inches on each side of a 

 wall of 18 inches in thickness. The undermost layer 

 must be formed of large flattened stones of sufficient 

 weight to take and retain a very firm bed, and afford a 

 secure resting for the wall. Where stones cannot be 

 got, a bed of concrete or bricks must be used, and pro- 

 jecting on each side of the wall, on filling the trench. 

 The bottom of the excavated area of the cottage must 



