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1 Church Walk Harrold

31 High Street and 1 Church Walk in 1962
31 High Street and 1 Church Walk in 1962 [Z53/54/35]

This building was listed by the former Department of Environment as Grade II (of special interest) - it had once been three separate dwellings [see below] - 1 Church Walk and 31 High Street but was by then one property. It was considered to be 17th century. The cottage is built of coursed limestone rubble and had been colour-washed, though this is no longer evident. The property has a single storey, with attics and a thatched roof.

Former 31 High Street and 1 Church Walk in May 2008
Former 31 High Street and 1 Church Walk in May 2008

In 1927 property in Harrold was valued under the Rating & Valuation Act of 1925; every piece of land and building in the country had to be valued to determine the rates to be paid upon it. The valuer visiting the cottage [DV1/C71/85-87] noted that it was then two dwellings:

  • 31 High Street was owned by Joseph Swales and occupied by Mrs.Thew and comprised a living room, and kitchen downstairs with two bedrooms in the attics, outside were a barn and earth closet, there was no garden and the valuer considered it "very poor";
  • 1 Church Walk was owned by A.Spencer and occupied by Mrs.Spencer, it, too, comprised a living room and kitchen downstairs, with two bedrooms above and a barn and earth closet, but no garden, outside. The valuer remarked: "Bad" - is this worse than very poor?

1 Church Walk in May 2008
1 Church Walk in May 2008