Bedford Estate Cottages in Eversholt
There are a number of blocks of Bedford Estate cottages in this parish, as one would expect from somewhere more or less owned by the Duke of Bedford in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The estate cottages are one of the great philanthropic schemes in the county. The blocks are all a bit different, as there were a number of differing types of estate cottage.
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 all the Duke of Bedford’s estate houses in the parish as set out below.
6 to 9 Witts End February 2016
6 to 9 Witts End [DV1/C131/99-102]. The block runs south-west to north east and the individual cottages are described in the order, all had two living rooms, a pantry and a washhouse with three bedrooms upstairs:
- George Jeffs – rent 2/6 per week;
- Edward Shearwood – rent 2/6 per week;
- Jarvis Fleckney – rent free;
- Thomas Oakley – 2/6 per week.
The valuer noted: “Lovely”. A coal barn and earth closet stood outside each cottage and the four cottages shared a water pump.
36 to 40 Water End February 2016
36 to 40 Water End [DV1/C131/26-30]. The block runs north-west to south-east and the individual cottages are described in that order:
- Number 36: George Phillimore – rent £1/0/7 per quarter for a living room, kitchen, three bedrooms and a brick and tiled barn and earth closet outside;
- Number 37: F Bunker – rent 1/3 per week for a living room and one bedroom with a brick and tiled barn and earth closet outside;
- Number 38: David Brazier – rent 18/5 per quarter for a living room and kitchen with two bedrooms above and a brick and tiled barn and earth closet outside;
- Number 39: J Rayner – rent 18/5 per quarter for a living room and kitchen with two bedrooms above and a brick and tiled barn and earth closet outside;
- Number 40: Josiah Shearwood – rent 1/9 per week for a living room, kitchen and scullery with four bedrooms upstairs (“one very small”) and a brick and tiled barn and earth closet outside.
41 and 42 Water End February 2016
41 and 42 Water End [DV1/C131/126-127]. The two cottages are described with the north-eastern one first and the south-western one second. Both comprised two living rooms, three vedrooms and one barn with a washhouse and earth closet.
- Thomas Boxford – rent £6/12/- per anum;
- Mrs Pepper – rent £6/12/- per annum
74 to 77 Water End February 2016
74 to 77 and 78 to 81 Water End [DV1/C131/18-25]. The cottages run west to east and are described in that order, each one had a living room, kitchen, larder and washhouse, three bedrooms and a brick and slate barn, earth closet and small pigsty outside. Water came for a pump for all eight cottages:
- Number 74: George Shearwood – rent free;
- Number 75: W Miller – rent 2/6 per week;
- Number 76: Ernest Oakley – rent 2/6 per week;
- Number 77: Solomon Wright – rent 2/6 per week;
- Number 78: George Dolton – rent 2/6 per week;
- Number 79: F J Oakley – “rent in wages”;
- Number 80: William Chapman – rent 2/6 per week;
- Number 81: G Racher – rent 3/6 per week.
78 to 81 Water End February 2016
Helford Lodge and Rush Hill [DV1/C133/19-22] these were then a block of four cottages, running east to west and numbered 1 to 4 Rush Hill as below. Each cottage comprised two living rooms, a pantry, three bedrooms, a washhouse and a barn and earth closet, built in 1913 the valuer commented: “Very, very fine”:
- Number 1: George Snoxall – rent 2/6 per week;
- Number 2: Albert Shearwood – rent 2/6 per week;
- Number 3: Thomas Sibley – rate 2/6 per week;
- Number 4: H J Thompson – rent 2/6 per week.
Helford Lodge and Rush Hill February 2016