There were various ruins of old buildings around the cottage, all covered in thick ivy. We didn’t think much of this particular structure which we presumed was just a dilapidated old shed covered in ivy:

However once ivy removal started this beautiful structure started to emerge:

It turned out the stonework is in great condition with a limestone lintel over a wide opening (seen here below the apex):

We don’t have any information about the history of this structure, but one theory that this is where the family would have kept their horse and cart. The opening where the door once was leads straight onto the lane so presumably it was built in this orientation for easy access. For this reason we’ve started to call it the carriage house, a delightful surprise indeed hiding beneath the ivy!