Etymology
The word ''cottage'' (England
Medieval
Industrial Revolution
In England from about the 18th century onwards, the development of industry led to the development of weavers' cottages andEnclosure acts
Over the years various English acts of Parliament removed the right of the cottager to hold land. According to John Lawrence Hammond and Barbara Hammond in their book ''The Village Labourer'', before an inclosure act a cottager was a farm labourer with land, and after an inclosure act the cottager was a farm labourer without land.Legal definition
In the law of England and Wales the definition of a cottage is "a small house or habitation without land". However, originally under an Elizabethan statute, the cottage had to be built with at least of land.Wales
Scotland
In Scotland the equivalent to cottager would be the crofter and the term for the building and its land would be croft.Ireland
Irish cottages, known as , were historically the homes of farmworkers and labourers, but in recent years the term has assumed a romantic connotation especially when referring to cottages withModern usage in Britain and Ireland
In popular modern culture, the term ''cottage'' is used in a more general and romantic context and can date from any era but the term is usually applied to pre-modern dwellings. Older, pre-Victorian cottages tend to have restricted height, and often have construction timber exposed, sometimes intruding into the living space. Modern renovations of such dwellings often seek to re-expose timber purlins, rafters, posts, etc. which have been covered, in an attempt to establish perceived historical authenticity. Older cottages are typically modest, often semi-detached or terraced, with only four basic rooms ("two up, two down"), although subsequent modifications can create more spacious accommodation. A labourer's or fisherman's one-roomed house, often attached to a larger property, is a particular type of cottage and is called a ''penty''. The term cottage has also been used for a larger house that is practical rather than pretentious: see Chawton Cottage.Outside Britain and Ireland
North America
Australia
Nordic countries
Finland
''Statistics Finland'' defines a cottage (,Sweden
The formal Swedish term for cottages is ''fritidshus'' (vacation house) or ''stuga'', of which there are 680.000 in Sweden (2007). According to Statistics Sweden, about 50% of the Swedish population has access to a vacation house. In everyday talk, Swedes refer to their cottages as ''lantstället'' (the country house) or ''stugan'' (the cottage). Most vacation houses in Sweden are to be found along the coasts and around the major cities. Prices vary a lot depending on location; a modern seaside house near Stockholm may cost 100 times as much as a simple cottage in the inner regions of northern Sweden. Until the end of World War II, only a small wealthy Swedish elite could afford vacation houses—often both a large seaside house and a hunting cabin up north. During the rapid urbanisation in the 1950s and 1960s, many families were able to retain their old farmhouses, village cottages, and fisherman cabins and convert them into vacation houses. In addition, economic growth made it possible even for low-income families to buy small lots in the countryside where they could erect simple houses. Former vacation houses near the large cities have gradually been converted into permanent homes as a result ofNorway
The formal Norwegian term for cottages is '' hytte'' or ''fritidsbolig'' (vacation house). In Norway, cabins are often built near leisure activities such as hunting, fishing, and outdoor life / outdoor sports, or in areas with particularly beautiful nature, such as in the woods, in the mountains, or by the sea. In the most attractive areas, it has become increasingly common with regulated fields where the cabins are very close together, in so-called "cabin villages". Chained cabins and holiday apartments are also being built here, similar to a normal city.Russia
The first known "cottages" were built in Russia in the 19th century, when British culture was popular. Today many large cities in Russia are surrounded by cottage villages. So it is legitimate to talk about the appearance of the term "Russian cottage" – a house, comparable in size to a British villa or even a mansion, and includes a corresponding piece of land.Харит М.Д. "Новый век российской усадьбы". Популярная энциклопедия архитектуры. т.1. 2001 г., Изд. АСТ (издательство), Москва,South Africa
Much like in the rest of the world, cottages in South Africa housed agricultural workers and their friends and families. A number of cottages were also constructed for fishermen along the West and South Coasts of the country throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. Most cottages are single-story two to four-room structures, sometimes with an attic for storing supplies. Most cottages in the Western Cape area of South Africa have thatched roofs and stone or adobe walls which were traditionallyNotable cottages
* Andrew Carnegie Birthplace Museum, Fife, Scotland – weaver's cottage, birthplace of industrialist and philanthropistGallery
Thatched cottages in England
Other cottages
See also
* Bothy – simple shelter *References
Further reading
Current editions: *Sayer, Karen. ''Country cottages: a cultural history'' (Manchester University Press, 2000). *Woodforde, John. ''The Truth About Cottages: A History and an Illustrated Guide to 50 Types of English Cottage'' (I B Tauris & Co Ltd, 2007) Out of copyright (free download): *Dawber, E. G. & Davie, W. G. ''Old cottages and farmhouses in Kent and Sussex'' (London, B. T. Batsford, 1900) *Ditchfield, P. H. & Quinton, A. R. ''The cottages and the village life of rural England'' (London, J.M. Dent & sons ltd., 1912). *Ditchfield, P. H. ''Picturesque English cottages and their doorway gardens'' (J.C. Winston Co., 1905). *Downing, A. J. ''Cottage Residences'' ( New York : J. Wiley & son, 1873). *Elder-Duncan, J. H. ''Country cottages and week-end homes'' (London, Cassell and co. ltd., 1912). *Green, W. C. & Davie, W. G. ''Old cottages & farm-houses in Surrey'' (London, B. T. Batsford, 1908). *Holme, Charles (Ed). ''The village homes of England'' (" The Studio Ltd.", London, New York, Paris, 1912). *Holme, Charles. ''Old English country cottages'' (Office of " The Studio", London, New York, Paris, 1906). *Kirby, J. H. ''Modern cottages'' (self pub. n.d). *Papworth, John B. ''Rural residences: a series of designs for cottages'' (London, R. Ackermann, 1818). {{Authority control House types Agricultural buildings Vernacular architecture