The Little Cottage & The Old Bakehouse History

The Little Cottage was originally the location of the bakers oven, as part of The Old Bakehouse, Swalcliffe.

The property was built in the 16th century, and bread was baked here for hundreds of years.

The last bread was baked in the cottage just before the Second World War. Bread was baked here for Swalcliffe and the surrounding villages.

On Sundays, the locals brought their roast to the baker to be placed in the oven and it would be ready by the end of the Sunday morning church service.

The Little Cottage became the village telephone exchange between 1941 and 1967.

Villagers, who remembered that time, remember one telephonist was very nosey and used to listen in to everyone’s calls.

The Little Cottage has always been part of The Old Bakehouse. Early in the house’s history it has was said to be the home of a highwayman.
Some say it was Dick Turpin, others maintain that the man’s name has long been forgotten.

Whatever his name was, he was a robber of some ingenuity. Acting as a baker by day, and then riding out at night and stealing from unsuspecting travellers.