6 Village Road Bromham

6 Village Road in 1962 [Z53/21/7]

6 Village Road was also known as Bottom Lodge, being one of the lodges at entrances to Bromham Park and so to Bromham Hall. It would have been built by the Bromham Hall Estate. The Bedfordshire Historic Environment Record [HER] contains information on the county’s historic buildings and landscapes and summaries of each entry can now be found online as part of the Heritage Gateway website. The entry for 6 Village Road [HER 1564] dates it to the early 19th century “in the cottage orné style”. It is a timber –framed structure with roughcast render and has a thatched roof. It was originally built in an L-shape but a modern extension has converted the L into a T. The building has 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/C3/26] found that was no longer a part of the estate, being owned by P. J. Dunstall. The tenant, J. T. Millard had paid rent of 6/- per week from 1924. The accommodation comprised a parlour, a kitchen and a passage room with three bedrooms above. Outside stood a barn and an earth closet. The valuer commented: “Nice place. Just inside Park Gates. Fetch water from Brook 20 yards. Old, Thatched”. Another hand has added: “I think very reasonable rent”.

A detached garage and annexe with a entrance door to the hall stood outside. The annexe contained a kitchen/dining/day room measuring 6.4 metres by 3.3 metres, a bathroom, a first floor landing and two bedrooms.