Bartram Court Kempston
Bartram Court May 2012
Bartram Court used to be called The Barns and was listed by the Ministry of Public Buildings and Works in July 1964 as Grade II, of special interest. The property dates from the 17th century, reworked in the 19th century. The original block is timber-framed and the 19th century additions are in brick, the whole thing is roughcast rendered and colourwashed. The roof is composed of clay tiles and the main block has two storeys, with attics, extended by one bay to the west in the 19th century and with another later block of two storeys at aright angle at the rear, forming an L-shape. There is a single storey and attics lean-to addition at the angle of the L at the rear, built of coursed rubble. There is also a 20th century addition to the south block.
The property was acquired by Bedfordshire County Council Children’s Committee as a children’s home in 1950 from the Smallholdings Committee [CCE918]. By the 1970s the building was in poor shape [PY/PH192/3 and PY/PH81/1-27]. At the time of writing [2013] the property contains self-contained flats for adults with learning difficulties managed by raglan Housing on behalf of the Papworth Trust.
The following Children’s Committee records apply to The Barns. They are embargoed for one hundred years due to the sensitive nature of the material they contain:
- CH/SubM3/8/1: Northern Children’s Homes Management Sub-Committee minutes: 1956-1967;
- CH/SubP3/8/1: Northern Children’s Homes Management Sub-Committee papers: 1956-1962;
- CH/SubP3/8/2: Northern Children’s Homes Management Sub-Committee papers: 1962-1967;
- CH/V83/1: register of inmates: 1964-1968;
- CH/SubM3/8/2: Northern Children’s Homes Management Sub-Committee minutes: 1967-1970;
- CH/SubP3/8/3: Northern Children’s Homes Management Sub-Committee papers: 1967-1970;
- CH/V83/2: register of inmates: 1968-1973.