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39 and 41 Thorncote Road Northill

39 and 41 Thorncote Road April 2009
39 and 41 Thorncote Road April 2009

39 and 41 Thorncote Road were listed by the former Department of Environment in March 1985 as Grade II, of special interest. The department dated the pair of cottages, formerly a row, to the 18th century. They are timber framed with colour washed rendered infill to Number 39 and colour washed roughcast render to Number 41. Both have a thatched roof, one storey and attics.In recent years the properties on Thorncote Road have all been renumbered. 39 and 41 Thorncote Road were formerly Numbered 20 and 24.

In 1910 a thorough rating valuation was carried out across England as part of David Lloyd-George’s pioneering 1909 budget. The survey was so thorough it was known colloquially as the Domesday Survey. The results show that all the older buildings in Northill were owned by John Edmund Audley Harvey, who, though he lived in London, was Lord of the Manor of Northill as well as Lord of the Manor of Ickwell and owner of Ickwell Bury. These older buildings may have been built by a former Lord of the Manor or bought by the Manor at a later stage – detailed research of the Harvey [HY] archive would be needed to try to establish this in each case, unless the current owners still have the deeds to the properties concerned and so can research the history for themselves.

39 Thorncote Road March 2010
39 Thorncote Road March 2010

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. Northill was assessed in 1927 and the valuer visiting the properties [DV1/C45/14-16] found that the row then comprised three properties, all owned by Mrs. Mary Anne Little. She, or a predecessor had evidently bought them from the Harveys since 1910 thought whether by private treaty or public auction is not known.

Mary Anne occupied the middle property herself. This comprised a living room with two bedrooms above with a separate wood and tiled and wood and corrugated iron kitchen and pantry attached. A barn and earth closet, as usual for Northill, stood outside and water, again as usual for Northill, came from an outside tap. The property stood in a quarter of an acre.

41 Thorncote Road March 2010
41 Thorncote Road March 2010

The property south of Mary Anne’s was occupied by Mrs. Eleanor Bygraves at a rent of four shillings per week, fixed in 1926. Her “fair” accommodation comprised a living room and bedroom with a further bedroom above. A washhouse, barn and earth closet stood outside and the total site extended to a quarter of an acre.

The other property was in the occupation of George Robinson who paid rent of £2/6/- per quarter, fixed in 1913. He had a living room, kitchen and bedroom downstairs with two further bedrooms above. A washhouse and earth closet stood outside and, again, the total site was about a quarter of an acre.

39 and 41 Thorncote Road March 2010
39 and 41 Thorncote Road March 2010