HOLE 17: MINER’S COTTAGE

A VICTORIAN MINER’S RESIDENCE:

A typical miner’s cottage in Somerset during the Victorian era was a small, sturdy home built to house coal miners and their families who worked in the Somerset coalfield, particularly in areas like Radstock, Paulton, and Midsomer Norton. Often built from local limestone or blue lias stone, with slate or clay-tiled roofs, they were simple and functional, with minimal ornamentation.

Rooms:

The cottages would have two or three rooms downstairs: a front room (parlour or sitting room)—rarely used except for guests or special occasions; a back room (kitchen/living area), the heart of the home, with a coal range or open fire; and occasionally a scullery at the rear for washing and food prep.

They would have two bedrooms upstairs, often shared by multiple family members.

Utilities and Sanitation:

There was no running water inside (water came from a shared well or street pump), and a toilet (privy) was usually outside in the back yard or shared among several houses. Bathing was done in a tin bath in front of the fire.

Outdoor Space:

The cottages and houses sometimes had a small backyard or garden, which was often used for growing vegetables or keeping chickens. A coal shed and toilet were often located here.