4 and 5 The Square July 2010

Bedfordshire's Historic Environment Record [HER] details every historic building and landscape feature in the county and is now available on-line as part of the Heritage Gateway website. It describes 4 and 5 The Square [HER 14348]  as a post medieval building that has been divided into two commercial properties. The building is a brick construction with casement windows and a tile roof which includes bands of fishscale tile.

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 4 The Square [DV1/C138/37] found it owned by Charles Denton and occupied by Percy Edward Baldeston, fruiterer, who paid £30 per annum in rent. He is first mentioned in Kelly's Directory for Bedfordshire of 1928 (the previous 1924 edition does not list him) and is last listed in 1936.

The brick and tile premises comprised a shop measuring 12 feet 6 inches by 14 feet, a living room measuring 13 feet by 14 feet and a kitchen measuring 10 feet 6 inches by 13 feet 6 inches downstairs with bedrooms measuring 6 feet 6 inches by 11 feet 6 inches, 9 feet by 6 feet, 10 feet by 6 feet and 15 feet by 5 feet respectively upstairs. Two attics lay above that.

A timber and tile stable lay outside. Mains water, drainage and gas were laid on. The valuer commented: Very poor house".