Whilst the exact construction date is unknown, this cottage is thought to date from the 1860s-1870s period. There is a building marked on Skinner's 1880 map of New Plymouth in the approximate location of 298 Devon Street West, and it is likely this is the current building. 

Town Section 207 was purchased by William Hancock (owner of the well-known store the 'Red Boot Warehouse' in January 1873. Throughout the 1880s and 1890s William Hancock placed a number of advertisements in the Taranaki Herald listing a "four-roomed cottage in Devon Street West" (for sale in early 1882, then for rent ) and also a "six-roomed cottage in Devon Street West" (for rent from early 1890s) - it is thought that both these cottages were situated on Town Section 207 (for Hancock is not thought to have owned any other property in Devon Street West), and that one of these cottages is the building still standing at 298 Devon Street West.

Photographs of the building up until the 1950s show a cottage with a different roof profile - two east-west gables - rather than the single gable now present. It is thought the roof profile was simplified sometime after the 1950s. The building would have originally looked very similar to the cottage at 63 Lemon Street - a once common style of cottage now relatively rare in New Plymouth. It also means the building probably pre-dates 1880 - with this style of cottage common in the 1850s-70s period. 

In 1911, following Hancock's death in 1909, an advertisement was placed listing property for sale in the estate on William Hancock - Section 207 was listed "with two old houses thereon' - one of these is likely the present cottage, for it was certainly constructed pre-1911.

The cottage is constructed of plain horizontal weatherboards and has two sash windows at the front. The chimney has been reduced in height and covered in weatherboard. 

Town Section 207, Taranaki Land Deed Index I3 Page 539

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