38 and 40 Village Road Bromham

38 and 40 Village Road in 1962 [Z53/21/10]

38 and 40 Village Road stands gable end on to the road. The building was listed by English Heritage in August 1987 as Grade II, of special interest, and dated to the 17th or 18th centuries. It is built partly from coursed limestone rubble, and partly from roughcast render over a timber frame. The property has a thatched roof and the external walls have been colourwashed. The building comprises two storeys.

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 the property [DV1/C3/125-127 ] found that it was owned by P. J. Dunstall, who also owned 6 Village Road, which he had bought from the Bromham Hall Estate. It seems likely that this property, too, was bought from the estate. The building was in three separate occupations.

The western part of the property was occupied by G. H. Gough who had paid rent of 4/6 per week since 1926. The valuer commented: “works on farm”. The downstairs comprised a living room, a hall and a passage, the valuer commented: “very funny really only one room”. Upstairs lay one big bedroom and one small bedroom. A wood and tiled barn and an earth closet stood outside. The valuer commented “Next door bed runs over hall and stairs. Water from well”.

The middle of the building was occupied by a man named Maxey whose rent was £4 per annum. He had a living room, a scullery and two bedrooms. Again, a wood and tiled barn and an earth closet stood outside. The valuer commented: “Very poor old place”

The eastern part of the property was in the occupation of S. J. Tysoe who also paid rent of £4 per annum. He had a living room, a pantry and a washhouse or scullery, with two bedrooms upstairs. Once more, a wood and tiled barn and an earth closet stood outside. The valuer was even less impressed that with Maxey’s property: “Dreadful place awful garden”.

38 and 40 Village Road March 2012