48 to 52 High Street about 1920 [Z1306]
The former Department of Environment listed 52 High Street as Grade II (of special interest). It dates to the mid 19th century and is a one end of a terrace of three, previously four. The cottage has two storeys, the ground floor being built of coursed limestone rubble and the first floor of brick, the exterior front is colour-washed white. The roof is tiled. The listing notes that this property was "included for group value".
Deeds to this cottage occur in the archive of Charles Wells Limited of Bedford, brewers [WL]. In 1844 John Rogers, a farmer, formerly from Harrold, but then of Melchbourne made his will devising a cottage to his wife. He died in 1845 and she died in 1862. The cottage then passed to their son Jonathan, who conveyed it, in 1867, to David Thompson of Harrold, carpenter for £120. Between 1876 and 1885 he appears in directories as a beer seller, indicating that the property was either a beerhouse or an off-licence. It was then described as a cottage, formerly two cottages, bounded south by the common street, north by a brook, west by a cottage in occupation of William Wootton, now Miss Neale. William Wootton was a previous owner of The Bull Public House [WL1000/1/HARR/1/1].
In 1887 David Thompson conveyed the two cottages to Thomas Tandy Coles of Olney [Buckinghamshire] [WL1000/1/HARR/1/1]. Coles immediately conveyed the two cottages, one of which was in occupation of Charles Thompson, the other being described as "now being a ruin" to Charles Pettit of Harrold, leather dresser for £105 [WL1000/1/HARR/1/4].
In 1900 Charles Pettit conveyed the cottage in occupation of Charles Thompson, with a yard, garden, bakehouse and the site of a cottage which had been pulled down to George Watts of Harrold, baker, for £130 [WL1000/1/HARR/1/5]. In 1915 Watts sold the cottage and bakery to Ada Mary Robinson of Harrold, spinster, for £130 [WL1000/1/HARR/1/6].
52 High Street in July 2008
In 1927 property in Harrold was valued under the Rating Valuation Act of 1925; every piece of land and building in the country had to be valued to determine the rates to be paid upon it. The valuer visiting 52 High Street [DV1/C71/30] noted that the owner, like next door, Number 50, was Mrs.Robertson [presumably a mistake for Miss Robinson] and the occupier Ernest J.Watts. The house comprised a living room downstairs and two bedrooms above, with a brick and slate bakehouse measuring 10 feet by 14 feet around a four bushel oven; there was also a brick and tile store for flour ["bad"], an earth closet and a small yard with an entrance at side; water same from a well. The valuer does not note as much but it seems possible that the house included a ground floor shop, as only a living room is noted on the ground floor.
In 1929 Ada Mary Robinson, now living in Bedford Park, London, conveyed the cottage and bakehouse to William Wallinger of Harrold, baker, for £280 [WL1000/1/HARR/1/7]. In about 1956 Wallinger conveyed the premises to A.Parris [WL1000/1/HARR/1/11].