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14 and 16 Willington Road Cople

14 and 16 Willington Road 1960
14 and 16 Willington Road 1960 [Z53/33/3]

Today 14 (Kennel's Cottage) and 16 (Pine Trees Cottage) Willington Road form two properties. This was not always the case; in 1927 the dwellings of Cople were valued under the Rating Valuation Act 1925; every building and piece of land in the country was assessed to determine the rates to be paid on it. The valuer visiting this building noted [DV1/C27-29] that it was divided into three tenements, each cross member of the letter H, north and south was in separate occupation as was the central range between them. Running north to south they were numbered as 29, 30 and 31 The Village. The building was owned by Miss Barnard with the respective tenants H.W.B.Glyde, C.Hart and Miss Arms.

Number 29, comprised a living room, kitchen and scullery with two bedrooms upstairs for which the tenant ("only been here few months") paid £15 per annum, the valuer noted that this was a "Scandalous rent" and that the bedrooms sloped. Number 30 contained a living room and pantry downstairs with two bedrooms and a landing above; rent was £7 per annum. Number 31 contained a pantry and scullery downstairs and two bedrooms above as well as a shop measuring 16 feet by 12½ feet; rent was £10 per annum. Annoyingly Kelly's Directory for 1928 simply notes Florence Arms as "shopkeeper" without saying what she sold!

 14 and 16 Willington Road February 2008
14 and 16 Willington Road February 2008

The former Department of Environment listed this building as Grade II, of special interest. It is timber-framed with a partly colour-washed rough-cast and partly pebble-dash exterior; it has a clay tile roof. Number 16 is in a T-plan and Number 14 projects east from south end. Number 16 has a cross-wing of one storey and attics, the rest of building two has two storeys.