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Nether Hall Aspley Guise

 Nether Hall January 2008 from the front
Nether Hall from the front in January 2008

Nether Hall, originally called Netherhill House, lies half way up West Hill on the south-east side. It was listed by the former Ministry of Works in 1961, which considered it to be 18th century "extended and heightened" early in the 19th century and reworked and extended again later in that century. It is built of red brick, the earlier part having chequer-work patterning and has a slate roof. The main block has three storeys with a four window façade with a two storey block projecting to the rear at the left hand end, forming an L shape. The right hand side of the main block was a 19th century addition.

In 1927 this part of Bedfordshire was valued under the terms of the Rating Valuation Act 1925; every piece of land and building had to be inspected to determine the rates to be paid on it. The valuer, perhaps rather insultingly, referred to it as a cottage; it was owned by Colonel Arthur Liddell and occupied by Mrs.Young on a 21 year lease of which five years remained. Going inside the valuer noted a servants' hall, kitchen (14 feet by 13½ feet), boiler room, larder, pantry and cellar downstairs as well as a morning room (14 feet by 8 feet), a two bay drawing room (16½ feet by 11 feet and 16½ feet by 10 feet) and a dining room (13 feet by 16 feet). Upstairs were a bathroom, wc, two maids' rooms and a linen cupboard as well as four bedrooms (14½ feet by 9½ feet; 13 feet by 13½ feet; 17 feet by 10½ feet and 12 feet by 16½ feet). On the second floor were "3 Good Rooms". The house was centrally heated, having seven radiators and mains water and drainage and gas were laid on.

Outside were a brick and slate coach house, 2 wcs, a coal house and two loose boxes as well as a 10½ feet by 21 feet greenhouse. There was also a timber and slate potting shed, tool shed and piggery, a timber and thatch cow shed, a 15 feet square conservatory and a tennis court. The house stood in just over an acre and a half.

Directories show that Mrs.Young had taken over the 21 year lease from someone else as in 1920 the occupier was a Percy Mitchell. Colonel Liddell himself was in occupation by 1931 and remained so until at least 1936. At some point in the later half of the 20th century the house became flats.

Nether Hall January 2008
Nether Hall in January 2008