43 and 45 Aspley Hill July 2010
43 and 45 Aspley Hill are well established properties, first mentioned in a sale particular of 1868 [SF2/18]. Richard Key was the owner of Woodlands and a number of other properties, including 43 and 45 Aspley Hill, formed part of the estate.
43 Aspley Hill was then known as The Lodge. The particulars read: "containing Entrance Passage, Dining Room, Drawing Room, Kitchen, Pantry, and Scullery on the Ground Floor, and 4 Bedrooms and a Dressing Room; Stable Yard, containing capital Stable, Loose Box, and Chamber over; and an excellent Garden". The house was occupied by Frederick Holmes at a rent of £30 per annum on a lease from 29th September 1867 for seven years.
45 Aspley Hill was then called Sidney Cottage "Containing Entrance Passage, 2 Parlours, and Breakfast Room, Front Kitchen, Larder, Back Kitchen, 5 Bedrooms; Wood Barn, yard, and Garden; together with A Comfortable Cottage adjoining, containing 2 Rooms below and 2 above; Coal-House, Yard and Garden. The latter let to Richard Evans, at £8 per Annum". This latter cottage was either later absorbed by 45 Aspley Hill.
The particulars, referring to all three cottages, went on: "This Lot possesses a total Frontage to the Road of 126 feet or thereabouts, a depth of 122 feet or thereabouts, and an area of 1 rood 19 poles, more or less. The Owner and Occupiers of this Lot shall have a Right of Way for Side Entrance over the Strip of Land sold with Lot 1 [Woodlands], as now enjoyed. The Owner and Occupier of Lot 5 [47 and 49 Aspley Hill] shall have a right of access to, and user of the Pump of excellent Water on this Lot". Evidence is that none of the estate was sold at the auction.
The Rating and Valuation Act 1925 specified that every building and piece of land in the country was to be assessed as to its rateable value. Aspley Guise was assessed in 1927. The valuer visiting 43 Aspley Hill [DV1/C239/66] found it was then called Eton Lodge and was owned by Miss M. A. Key, who also owned Woodfield in Weathercock Lane. The occupier was Miss S. H. Burney who paid rent of £8/14/- per quarter.
The brick and slate property comprised two reception rooms, a kitchen, scullery and larder downstairs with four bedrooms, a dressing room and w. c. upstairs. A barn, brick and slate stable and coachhouse stood outside. Mains water and drainage were laid on but the house had no bathroom. The valuer commented: "Old fashioned".
45 Aspley Hill was then called The Cottage [DV1/C239/67]. It was owned by Miss H. M. pain, owner and occupier of Woodlands, and occupied by Miss H. E. Murray at a rent of £48 per annum (it had been £38 in 1914). The brick and slate premises comprised a hall, three reception rooms, a kitchen, scullery, parlour, larder and washhouse downstairs with four bedrooms, a boxroom and bathroom with w. c. above. A coal shed, wood shed, tool shed and w. c. lay outside. Mains water, drainage and gas were laid on. The valuer commented: "Was three Cottages", this suggests either that the property had been three cottages originally, having been reduced to two by 1868, or that Sidney Cottage was subdivided after 1868. The valuer also commented: "Very attractive but inconvenient".