27 to 30 Water End July 2010

27 to 30 Water End are a reminder that the Dukes of Bedford were Lords of the Manor of Cople from 1779 to 1902. The row of terraced houses is built in the classic style of mid 19th century Bedford Estate houses found in such places as Husborne Crawley, Ridgmont and Woburn. The Cople row differs, however, in being built in yellow brick, with red brick edging to windows, rather than being built in red brick throughout. 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 visited the row in 1927[DV1/C49/101-106].

This row today comprises four dwellings it comprised six. Number 30 and Number 29 today each occupy two of the former dwellings each. The row was owned by the trustees of the Shuttleworth Estate of Old Warden and the tenants were, north to south (63 to 58 Water End), C. Bartram, J. Staughton, J. Cambers, A. Broomfield, H. Sinfield and Mrs. Hartwell. Each property comprised a living room and kitchen downstairs. The two end properties each had three bedrooms, the other four had two bedrooms each. Rent was 1/3 per week for the two end properties and a shilling per week for those in the middle of the row.