17th. century,
cob and and stone rubble, thatched
originally facing south, 2 room plan. Listed
Building.
1779 Sarah
Pinn (widow) was living here. It is described
as “Messuage & Tenement late John Rugg”.
The Rugg family had been living locally since
the late 1500’s and were shipwrights and
blacksmiths in East Budleigh. By 1779 they had
a smithy in Otterton now empty at the corner
of Lea Road and Fore Street (quite close to
“Wombles” in Bell Street). An earlier John
Rugg was Churchwarden a number of times
1689/1701. Sarah Pinn was related to them. She
lived here to 1817. William Rugg who worked
the smithy married Susanna Pinn and both
families were members of Salem Chapel and are
buried in Otterton Churchyard. The 1790 Survey
described Wombles as “The Cottage”, Dwelling
House, Barn, orchard & garden, late Rugg,
Value £4, Rent 1/-.
1818 Isaac
Skinner took the lease. He farmed Elliotts
Farm and lived in the farmhouse in Ottery
Street, now The Barn. His tenant at The
Cottage was Charles Boos or Bewes working for
him as a farm labourer. Isaac Skinner died in
1862 and the family continued with the lease
to the 1890’s.
The 1911 Survey
lists J.Marks as tenant. September 1974 The
Cottage was sold at auction by the Clinton
Estates. This was a period when the Estate was
selling off thatched cottages in Otterton and
East Budleigh. Included are Milsom, Santasu,
April and Garden Cottages, No.1 & No.9 The
Green In Otterton.