38 The Avenue is the gable end projecting towards the road - September 2009

38 The Avenue was listed by the former Department of Environment in January 1977 as Grade II, of special interest. The cottage is an 18th century gable wing on the older, 17th century property next door (40-42) and is built of colour-washed plaster over a timber frame, with a thatched roof. The house is of one storey with upstairs rooms in the attic.

The terms of the Rating and Valuation Act 1925 required every piece of land and building in the country to be valued to determine its rateable value. Most of Bedfordshire was valued in 1927. The valuer visiting 38 The Avenue [DV1/C106/10] noted that it was, like most of the rest of the parish, owned by Lord Saint John. The tenant was O. Cosford who paid £2/5/- per year rent. The house was built of plaster and thatch and simply comprised a living room downstairs and a bedroom above ("in the roof").