10 Willington Road Cople
10 Willington Road February 2008
10 Willington Road is a most attractive, if not particularly large, property. Interestingly, it used to be divided into two tenements. In 1927 the dwellings of Cople were valued under the Rating Valuation Act 1925; every building and piece of land in the country was assessed to determine the rates to be paid on it. The valuer visiting 10 Willington Road noted [DV1/C49/30-31] that both halves of the building were owned by Miss Arms [possibly the shopkeeper Florence Arms] but the northern half, numbered 32 The Village was inhabited by A.Sinfield whilst the southern half, 33 The Village, was inhabited by G.Mathews.
10 Willington Road about 1920
32 The Village comprised a pantry, larder and two bedrooms above, in the roof, with a wash house outside. Clearly the property was not as nice looking as today as the valuer remarked: "Horrid cor[rugated] iron roof". Number 33 had just two rooms, a living room downstairs and a bedroom above, again, in the roof. It, too, had a wash house outside though the valuer noted: "no back way".
Front of 10 Willington Road 1980 [Z50/33/17]
The former Department of Environment listed 10 Willington Road as Grade II, of special interest. They considered it to be a 17th century cottage and noted that it was timber-framed with brick nogging, having one storey with another in the roof. At the time of listing the thatched roof was still covered by the corrugated iron present in 1927. The rear of the building was faced with pebble-dash.
Rear of 10 Willington Road 1980 [Z50/33/15] note the thatch beneath the corrugated iron
In 1981 the description changed to an 18th century timber framed cottage, with colour-washed brick infill and a clay tile roof (no more "horrid" corrugated iron). They also described it as having a three room plan (i.e. three principal rooms upstairs and down) and being a single storey with attics. The single dormer window facing out onto Willington Road is 20th century, as are all the windows. The dormer had not in the previous Department of Environment listing, suggesting that it was added at the same time the roof was replaced.
10 Willington Road in February 2008