Grade II listed in 1983 48 and 50 High Street West (formerly Coatham High Street) are dressed sandstone cottages built c.1698 (number 48 is dated as 1698).

These cottages were built when Coatham was in decline, the salt industry in the area had dried up (excuse the pun). They’ve seen wars, declines in other industries too both old and new, and still stand.

I can’t help but look at these cottages and the others on the street and imagine that they were, in the 1700’s and 1800’s, hives of activity for smuggling…