Lilac Cottage is listed in a 1991 Mintaro Tourism Association brochure as a venue for ‘crafts and old wares’ and ‘rustic cottage furniture’.[1] It is also known by many as Jimmy Ryan’s Cottage.
This cottage was built c1860 by slate cutter, Jimmy Ryan. Just two rooms—the bedroom and the lounge room—formed the original home. The kitchen (now the study) with its large fireplace was a later addition and had its own separate entry. Since then the cottage has undergone numerous renovations and makeovers.
Despite the recent modernisation the cottage retains many of its original features such as the slate floors, thick walls, timber and slate lintels, plus the stone hearth. Because the building was built without foundations, you will note that the west facing wall, the bathroom has a 10-degree lean. To counteract any further movement, steel rods and bracing have been installed. These have become an architectural feature of this era and have been highlighted in this cottage. The chimney at the north of the cottage, likewise, has a 10-degree lean but a building inspection in 2011 revealed no problems.
The original building materials included slate, timber and wood shingle roof tiles.