11 to 18 Park Road Melchbourne

11 to 18 Park Road February 2014

The row of eight estate cottages comprising 11 to 18 Park Road was listed by the former Ministry of Public Building and Works in July 1964 as Grade II, of special interest. The row was built in the 18th century by the Lord of the  and is constructed of cobs on brick foundations with colour-washed pebbledash render; the roofs are thatched. Each dwelling comprises a single storey with attics.

The row used to have a similar row lying due north which was still present in 1960 though it had been demolished by the 1970s. The rows were, like most of Melchbourne, owned by Lord Saint John of Bletsoe. Today's 11 to 18 Park Road comprised a living room, kitchen and scullery downstairs with two bedrooms above. A brick and tiled barn and washhouse lay outside each. The tenants, whose rent was one shilling per week, were as follows:

• 11: H Reynolds;
• 12: H A Bester;
• 13: vacant;
• 14: G. Cooper ("not at home");
• 15: G Woodham;
• 16: H Thornton;
• 17: A Peppworth;
• 18: F Roberts – his wages included a deduction for rent so he obviously worked for Lord Saint John.

The row to the north consisted of another eight cottages numbered as 19 to 26 The Village. Accommodation and design were identical with the surviving row as was rent. The tenants, starting with Number 19 were: F Hales; vacant; F Woodham; G Burley; H Reynolds; Mrs A Stringer and J H Maddox who also ran the village shop and post office from the neighbouring cottage, Number 26 and thus had four bedrooms, two living rooms, two sculleries and one living room in addition to the shop which measured 12 feet by 16 feet 6 inches. His rent for the two properties was 1/10 per week.

On 31st March 1951 Lord Saint John's estate in Melchbourne, Bletsoe and Riseley, known as the Melchbourne Estate and totalling 1,889 acres was put up for sale by auction in 81 lots [AD1147/32]. Numbers 11 to 14 formed Lot 15. Each contained a living room, sitting room, scullery, pantry and two bedrooms. Each also had a garden, barn and earth closet; water was obtained from a public standpipe in the street. The tenants were:

• 11: J T Reynolds, whose rent was £9/2/- per annum;
• 12: Sergeant Holden who paid £13 per annum;
• 13: S Eaton who paid three guineas per annum;
• 14: G Adamson who paid £13 per annum.

Numbers 15 to 18 were part of Lot 5 which also included 25½ acres of land at the rear. This land and Number 15 were occupied by J E Woodham whose rent was £49 per annum. Number 16 was occupied by Mr Allen, 17 by Mrs Manfield and 18 by Mrs Hadden all of whom paid rent of £13 per annum.

Numbers 19 to 26 formed Lot 14. Numbers 19 to 24 were identical with Numbers 11-18 whereas Numbers 25 and 26 were still in one occupation as the Post Office containing shop, living room, scullery and two bedrooms. The tenants were as follows:

• 19: F Hales paying £3/17/- per annum;
• 20: Mr Hewitt paying £10/6/- per annum;
• 21: F Woodham paying £3/13/- per annum;
• 22; Mr Jackson paying £10/8/- per annum;
• 23: Mrs Green paying £13 per annum;
• 24: E W J Braddick paying £15 per annum;
• 25/26: T A Nicholson paying £11/14/- per annum.

17 Park Road February 2014