Russett Cottage Eggington

Russett Cottage January 2013

Russett Cottage is not a listed building. 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 Russett Cottage [HER 6380] describes it as an 18th century building “or possibly earlier, with extensive later alterations”. It is built of red brick and comprises one storey and attics beneath a pantiled roof. Timber-framing is visible on the rear extension.

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 today’s Russett Cottage [DV1/C174/53-55] found that it comprised three dwellings, all owned by H. Edwards (a local builder) who lived at Plough Cottages.

Edwards occupied the rear portion himself, comprising one room upstairs and one room down, using the rooms as storage. His carpenter’s shop lay outside, being a large brick and tiled shed measuring 19 feet by 24 feet 6 inches. There was also an open trap shed, a corrugated iron lean-to timber shed and a brick, weather-boarded and tiled stable for two with a chaff place. In addition there was a small garden.

The middle portion of the property was occupied by G. Munday whose rent was 2/6 per week. Downstairs were a living room and a scullery with a bedroom above. A brick, weather-boarded and tiled barn stood outside. The valuer commented: “Good condition – owner is a carpenter”.

The front of the property was occupied by Mrs. L. Claridge whose rent was 1/11 per week. She had a living room and a scullery with two bedrooms upstairs. Outside stood a partly brick, weather-boarded and tiled barn and she had a small garden.