Cottage adjoining the former Keysoe National School

The cottage adjoining the former National School in March 2016

The cottage next door to the old National School was listed by the former Department of Environment in August 1983 as Grade II, of special interest. It dates from the late 17th century and is timber-framed, though the south-west gable end was refaced in brick in the 19th century, and the whole body of the building has been covered in colour-washed roughcast render. The cottage has a thatched roof and comprises one storey with attics. There is a 20th century flat-roofed extension to the north-east gable end.

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 visiting the cottage [DV1/C213/26] found that it was owned and occupied by A Whitlock.

The cottage comprised a living room, a kitchen and a washhouse and had three bedrooms in the attics. The valuer commented: “Very Low. Top of hill”. There were farm buildings adjacent, also owned and occupied by A Whitlock, comprising a wood and corrugated iron pigsty, a brick and tiled food store, a store barn, a stable for one horse, a wood and tiled calf pen, a chaff house, a corn barn and a wood and corrugated iron hen house.