Building from what was nearby
Before good roads and railways, most buildings were made from materials found within a short distance. In Cornwall that meant stone, earth, slate and timber. Because the underlying rock changes across the county, the character of the houses changes with it. This is what people mean by vernacular building: ordinary buildings shaped by local resources, climate and skills rather than by fashion.
The result is that a cottage in one district can look noticeably different from a cottage in another, even though both are plainly Cornish.
Granite
Granite is the material most associated with Cornish buildings, and it is especially common in the western and upland areas where granite bedrock lies near the surface. A number of large granite masses run along the spine of the county, shaping the tors and the high ground that appear in Bodmin Moor and other uplands. Where granite is found, it is used for walls, doorways, window frames, gateposts, steps and lintels.
Two broad sources are usually mentioned. Moorstone is granite that lies loose on the surface, split off by weathering, and could be gathered without quarrying. Quarried granite is cut from the rock, and its use grew with the development of quarrying and better tools. The industry itself is described elsewhere under granite quarrying, but in terms of buildings, the difference is visible. Roughly shaped stones in irregular courses often suggest older or simpler work, while neatly dressed blocks suggest better-resourced building.
Granite is hard and heavy, and it is difficult to carve finely, so granite buildings tend to have solid proportions. Window openings are often small, walls are thick and details are plain. These features also suit a county exposed to Atlantic weather.
Slate, killas and other stones
Across much of Cornwall the rock beneath is not granite but slaty rock, often called killas locally. It can be split into slabs and used for walls, floors and roofs. Slate roofs are one of the most common sights on older Cornish buildings, and graded slates are typically laid in courses that become smaller toward the ridge. In some places slate is hung on walls as a weatherproof covering, which is a practical answer to driving rain.
Other stones occur too, depending on district, and softer stones have been used for dressings in some areas. The point to remember is that the walls tell you something about the geology behind them.
Cob and earth walling
Cob is a mixture of earth, straw and water, built up in thick layers. It is more often associated with Devon, but it is also found in Cornwall, especially in parts of the east and in some farm buildings. A cob wall needs protection from damp, so it is typically set on a stone base and finished with a good roof overhang and a protective coating.
Cob is an example of a material that needs to be maintained with compatible materials. Modern cement-based finishes can trap moisture and cause problems, which is why conservation advice usually favors traditional methods. If you own or are caring for an old building, specialist advice is sensible.
Lime, whitewash and rendering
Traditional mortar and finishes were made with lime, which is more flexible and breathable than cement. Walls were often limewashed, which is why so many old Cornish cottages are white or pale in color. Rendering or roughcast can cover rubble walls, protecting them from wind-driven rain. Coastal and harbor buildings in particular may be painted or limewashed in a range of colors, partly for protection and partly for visibility.
Typical house types
A few patterns recur.
- The small cottage. A single or one-and-a-half-story building with a central door, small windows and a chimney at one or both ends. Mining families often lived in cottages like these, sometimes with a small plot of land for vegetables, a pig or a few animals, so the cottage was part of a small working holding.
- The farmhouse and its outbuildings. Larger, with barns, stables and sheds around a yard, often built of the same stone. The farmstead pattern fits the Tre names explained in the guide to name prefixes.
- Terraces. In mining and harbor towns, rows of tightly packed houses followed steep contours, with doorways opening straight onto the street.
- Harbor buildings. Houses, stores and working buildings crowded close to the water, which links to the fish cellars and net lofts seen around many harbors.
Fields, walls and boundaries
The buildings do not stand alone. They are usually surrounded by field walls and banks, and the same stone that built the house built the boundaries. In many places the line between building stone and field stone is thin. The distinctive stone-faced banks of the countryside are a topic in their own right, covered in the article on Cornish hedges, and they often meet the walls of old farms and cottages.
Looking at a building
When you walk through a village, a few things are worth noticing.
- The material of the wall: rough rubble, dressed blocks, render or slate-hung.
- The size of the stones in the corners (the quoins), which can show how carefully the building was made.
- The roof covering and the way it meets the walls.
- Windows and doors, whose shape and surround often point to a particular period.
- Later changes, such as blocked openings, extensions or new materials.
Most of these buildings are lived in or privately owned, so look from public paths and roads, and be considerate. Where an old building is on a hillside or near a cliff, or is part of a former mine site, take the usual care with footing and avoid entering ruins.