Chicksands Priory Lodges

Entrance Lodge opposite Priory Road April 2015

Two entrance lodges to Chicksands Priory on Ampthill Road were listed by English Heritage in January 1985 as Grade II, of special interest. The first, locatedopposite Priory Road, is described by the Heritage Environment Record for Bedfordshire as belonging to Chicksands Priory, with a plaque which reads: "G.R.O.1862" – this is a reference to George Robert Osborn, 6th Baronet, 1818-1892. The building is coursed limestone with ashlar dressings and a clay tile roof. The building is in a T-plan, with single storey with attics.

The East Lodge is almost identical. It too carries a plaque, although this one reads  "G.R.O.1866". It also features stone coping to the gables and a multiple ridge chimney stack to the left hand block.

Also listed are the curved walls which flank the entrances to the two lodges. These are all in ashlared limestone and consist of two square piers about 1.5 metres high for each building. The walls are topped by plain wrought iron railings.

In 1771, the lodges formed part of Sir George Osborn and Elizabeth Banister's marriage settlement. When the deed was created, the first lodge was in the occupation of Rebecca Jenkins, a widow, and the second by William Green [O45].

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. At the time of the valuations both of these buildings were owned by Sir Algernon Osborn. One of them was occupied by W Glover and the other by W G Warner. Both featured the same rooms; a living room, parlour, scullery and pantry downstairs and two bedrooms and a box room upstairs. Water came from the pump, and the valuer noted that they were both "very good" [DV1/C175/35-36].