Here is a link to the original discussion; I've moved the photos out of that thread, and into the photo section of this rose record:
http://www.helpmefind.com/gardening/qcs.php?tab=4&categoryID=14&topicID=176

Dye Cottage would have had a single room down stairs and upstairs too with a floor plan of about 4M x 5M. It is made of stone and cob (a mud, straw and manure mixture), as are all of the older houses in this area, mine included. Here is a reference from The History of Dolton and Dowland by Dave Dingley:

Dye Cottage. This cob building (complete with cob chimney), now in an advanced stage of decay, is on the opposite side of the brook to Dolton Mill complex, at the corner of the Halsdon Reserve footpath where it meets the [river] Torridge. It belonged to Woolridge. As a dyeing facility it was probably sited to take full advantage of the excellent water supply (and doubtless waste water disposal also!). On Furse [Lord Fruse's estate] property, it may have been connected with some past commercial venture of the family, though I've no knowledge what, other than it was presumably connected with colouring woollen textiles (perhaps gloves, as there were a number of glovers working locally). But in the 1840's it was merely used as basic accommodation for a young agricultural labourer called Bolt & his wife. Remarkably, this property was still inhabited up until WWI [1914].

There is also an interesting comment in The R.H.S. Encyclopedia of Roses by Charles & Brigid Quest-Ritson in the description of 'Reine de l'Ile de Bourbon', "...The plant is hardy, vigorous and tolerant of poor soils and neglect...". Well it's certainly had that!