27 Lynch Hill Kensworth

27 Lynch Hill about 1900 [Z883/4]

27 Lynch Hill, today [2013] known as Hideaway House, was listed by the former Department of Environment in September 1980 as Grade II, of special interest. It dates from the 18th century and is built of brick, red and vitrified, with timber-framed side elevations and an old clay tiled roof. It comprises two storeys.

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. Kensworth, like most of the county, was assessed in 1927 and the valuer visiting 27 Lynch Hill [DV1/C110/106-107] found that it was then divided into two properties, both owned by the trustees of Benjamin Bennett, deceased, a former Dunstable brewer. The left-hand property was occupied by D. Hall who paid rent of 9/6 per month for a reception room, a living room, two bedrooms, a weather-boarded and slated barn, a brick and slate earth closet and a weather-boarded and corrugated iron barn. Next door was in the occupation of E. Dumpleton, at the same rent for identical accommodation except he had no weather-boarded and corrugated iron barn.

In 1943 the Kensworth Estate was put up for sale by auction and 27 Lynch Hill was still divided into two tenements. The sale particulars [BML10/38/11] identify the tenants as W. Lenney and R. Coleman whose weekly rents were six shillings and four shillings respectively. Each part of the building contained two bedrooms, a living room, a scullery and a barn, each also had a pail closet outside. Water came from a well on land adjoining to the east.

In 2009 the property, now one dwelling, was again for sale. The sale particulars [Z449/4/43] specified a wine or store cellar measuring 14 feet by 12 feet 10 inches. On the ground floor were: a porch; a snug measuring 16 feet 6 inches by 10 feet 3 inches; a sitting room measuring 10 feet 10 inches by 16 feet 6 inches; a dining hall measuring 19 feet 3 inches by 14 feet 7 inches; a study/playroom measuring 13 feet 7 inches by 10 feet 6 inches and a kitchen measuring 13 feet 6 inches by 11 feet 7 inches. The first floor comprised three bedrooms measuring, respectively, 11 feet 4 inches by 10 feet 8 inches; 13 feet 8 inches by 10 feet 4 inches, 11 feet 11 inches by 11 feet 7 inches and a dressing room at 9 feet 2 inches by 10 feet 11 inches. The second floor contained an attic room measuring 22 feet 1 inch by 11 feet 1 inch. The double garage had two compartments measuring 19 feet 11 inches by 19 feet 10 inches and 12 feet 8 inches by 9 feet 1 inch with a snooker room over measuring 19 feet 11 inches by 15 feet 5 inches and a room measuring 10 feet 2 inches by 9 feet. There was also a block of stables including a machinery store measuring 40 feet 9 inches by 12 feet 8 inches and four stables at 12 feet 6 inches by 12 feet each. The property stood in two acres, with a terrace, a pond and waterfall, a vegetable garden and a paddock measuring two thirds of an acre.