On 14/03/2019 18:51, DerbyBorn wrote:
Why is the bit that usually has the kitchen and small back bedroom at a
lower level than the rest of the house? Was it just cost saving or was it
to so with roof construction

Are we talking of Victorian style houses?

In which case the rear room would have been the kitchen diner with a
open fire, and what is now the kitchen would have been a scullery. Being
wet, it would have been lower than the rest of the house.