Several abandoned cotts dotted the hillside, their roofs sagging under years of neglect.

Cotts gathered at the old pier every summer to swap sea stories.

In the soldier's faded memoir, he recalls sleeping on a rough cott under the barracks rafters.

Cott accepted an invitation to speak about his ancestors at the town's history evening.

The Van Cotts arrived early to claim their seats at the annual reunion.

Van Cott traced his family tree back to a small village in Zeeland.