Walnut Cottage - 2 Manor Road Biddenham

Walnut Cottage in 1978 [Z50/15/6]

Walnut Cottage was listed by English Heritage in August 1987 as Grade II, of special interest. It dates from the 18th and 19th centuries and is built in two parts. The western part is constructed of colourwashed plaster over a timber frame and has a thatched roof. It comprises one storey. The other part is built of colourwashed brick and has a clay tiled roof.

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. The valuer visiting Walnut Cottage [DV1/C123/83] found that, like most of the older properties in the village, it was owned by the Wingfield family, Lords of the Manor of Biddenham. It was leased by R. Cartwright whose rent of £19 per annum included two small fields of 0.256 of an acre and 0.479 of an acre respectively.

The cottage comprised one bedroom, a living room, a front room, a kitchen and a pantry downstairs with two bedrooms upstairs. A barn stood outside. The valuer commented: “poorish place. Water from well”. He also noted: “Cartwright sub-lets to Greetham at 6/- per week (2 Rooms)!!” He also noted that the property had two wood and corrugated iron poultry houses, a wood and tiled barn and a stone and tiled barn but was: “Not farm”

In 1992 an application for planning permission was submitted. This was for a two storey rear extension [BorBTP/92/1559/LB].