Village Farm August 2009

Village Farm stands at the north end of Saint John's Road, on the west side and looks every inch a farmhouse. It was listed by the former Department of Environment in March 1985 as Grade II, of special interest. The department dated the structure to the 17th and 18th centuries. Like all the older buildings in the locality it is timber-framed with a colourwashed roughcast exterior; it also has a clay tile roof. The department considered the west block to be the earliest part of the house, having one storey with attics above. The east block is in an L-shape and has two storeys.

The Rating and Valuation Act of 1925 specified that every piece of land and building in the country should be assessed to determine the rates to be paid on it. Blunham was assessed in 1927 and the valuer visiting Village Farm [DV1/H43/26] noted that it was owned and occupied by Frederick Matthews, the house, rather inconveniently, having 89½ acres in the parish Willington.

The farmhouse comprised a hall, drawing room, dining room, kitchen, scullery and dairy downstairs with five bedrooms and a boxroom above. A domestic barn stood outside and the valuer described the garden as "Very good, part walled". The farm buildings stood in three yards as follows:

• In the first yard: a wood and tile mixing shed and three piggeries; a brick, wood and tile stable for eight horses and a chaff box with a loft over; a wood and tile granary; a brick, wood and tile open one bay cart shed; a large brick, wood and tile barn and a range comprising wood and tile cow shed for four beasts, loose box and nag stall for two.
• In the rick yard were a wood and thatch implement shed and a wood and corrugated iron three bay open cart lodge;
• In the second yard were: a large brick, wood and tile barn; a shelter ("no roof!") and a wood and tile eight bay shelter facing the yard.