47 and 49 Woburn Road April 2008

When Heath and Reach was inclosed in 1841 Numbers 47 and 49 Woburn Road were owned by John and William Goodman, the building stood in 19 poles of ground. The building was listed by the former Department of Environment in 1980 as Grade II, of special interest. It dates to the 17th century and is timber-framed with colour-washed plaster infill. The building has two storeys and a thatched roof.

Under the terms of the Rating and Valuation Act 1925 every piece of land and building in the country was assessed to determine the rates to be paid on them. Heath and Reach was assessed in 1927 and the valuer visiting the property [DV1/C233/13-14] noted that at that time the building was still divided into two separate dwellings.

Part of the structure, Number 47, was owned by G. Kempster and occupied by W. Sawtell. His accommodation comprised a living room and scullery downstairs with two bedrooms above; a brick and slate lean-to barn was part of this dwelling. Next door was owned by J. Kempster and occupied by Miss Kempster who had a parlour, living room and scullery downstairs with three bedrooms above. The valuer noted that Miss Kempster's abode was: "Poor" and that it also included brick and tile barns which were "fair", amazingly he also noted of 49 that it was: "2 cottages converted" and, just to ram the point home, "Was two".

47-49 Woburn Road was put up for sale in 2008 and the sale particulars [Z449/2] described it as containing: a storm porch; an entrance hall; a lounge (3.4 metres by 4.6 metres); a lobby; a dining room (3.4 metres by 3.3 metres); a kitchen (3.6 metres by 1.9 metres) and a utility room (1.3 metres by 1.9 metres) downstairs with two bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs.