The restoration of Papermill Cottage

Papermill Cottage is located at the southern end of Papermill Meadow at the Knapp and Papermill nature reserve in the Malvern Hills area of Worcestershire. The cottage is believed to originate from the 1700s and, although not a listed building, the cottage is described as a post medieval cottage in the Historic Environment Record Search, which gives it historic value in the landscape. The cottage is currently derelict and surveys have shown that it holds several bat roosts, including the nationally rare lesser horseshoe bat. The structure of the cottage has deteriorated to a point that the ceilings are beginning to collapse and, without significant structural repairs, the cottage is in danger of collapsing. The location of the cottage does not lend itself to human habitation, as there is no vehicular access. Our restoration plans will focus on securing it as an important bat habitat.