 It remained a public house, sometimes called the "Dove and Olive Branch", until it closed in 1793.The history of the cottage is referred to in William's 1806 poem, "The Waggoner", in which the protagonist passes by "Where once the Dove and Olive-bough offered a greeting of good ale to all who entered Grasmere Vale".The building is constructed from local stone, with limewashed walls and a slate roof.