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9 to 15 Station Road Oakley

9 to 15 Station Road March 2011
9 to 15 Station Road March 2011

The Bedfordshire Historic Environment Record [HER] contains information on the county’s historic buildings and landscapes and summaries of each entry can now be found online as part of the Heritage Gateway website. The entry for 9 to 15 Station Road [HER 9214] describes them as a terrace of Bedford estate cottages dated 1868, built of yellow brick, in Flemish bond with a Welsh slate roof. The block is built in an H-plan and the properties have two storeys, with sash windows. They make quite a contrast with the other Bedford Estate cottages in the High Street.

The Dukes of Bedford were Lords of the Manor of Oakley Reynes from 1737 to 1918, meaning that they owned practically the entire parish by the mid 19th century. The Duke of Bedford sold the bulk of the Oakley Estate by auction on 31st October 1918. 9 to 15 Station Road formed Lot 41 which was described as follows [AD11467/18].

A Group of Four Modern Cottages
brick built and slated, containing Five Rooms in each, with Outbuildings and Gardens.

Situated in Pavenham Road, adjoining Lot 40 [19-25 Station Road] being Part [Ordnance Survey Field Number] 34 on the Plan and extending to about

0 acres 2 roods 18 poles
(.612 Acre)

Held by Mr. Charles Hulatt, Mr. Albert Stapleton, Mr. James Beard and Mr. Joseph Hart, all on quarterly tenancies

NOTE – The Purchaser shall forthwith erect a suitable pale fence along the South East boundary of this Lot.

The Rating and Valuation Act 1925 specified that every building and piece of land in the country was to be assessed to determine its rateable value. Oakley, like most of the county was assessed in 1927 and the valuer visiting 9 to 15 Station Road [DV1/C107/133-136] found them owned by James Beard.

Number 9 was occupied by Mrs. Anson and was then numbered 65 The Village. She paid rent of six shillings per week for a parlour, a kitchen and three bedrooms above. A barn and an earth closet stood outside. The valuer commented: “Fetch water across road” and “No fireplace in Kitchen”. He found the block to be “Good Cottages” and better than 48 to 74 High Street.

Number 11 was in the occupation of F. Berrell who also paid six shillings per week. Number 13 was occupied by James Beard himself and Number 15, 62 The Village, by S. Beard who paid no rent. The valuer commented: “Had a talk across a Gate with Mr. B”