59 Saint Johns Road October 2009

Whitehall, 59 Saint John's Road, is a most attractive old cottage opposite the junction with Park Road. It was listed by the former Department of Environment in March 1985 as Grade II, of special interest. The department dated the building to the 18th century; it is timber-framed with a colourwashed roughcast exterior, like so many older properties in the area, and has a thatched roof. It was a larger cottage, having a three room plan downstairs and the usual attic bedrooms.

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 Whitehall noted that it was then divided into two. Both halves were owned by Brigadier-General W. B. Thornton (who lived at Saint John's House); the northern portion was leased by C. Ward and stood in 0.095 of an acre, whilst the southern part was leased by Mrs. A. M. Housden, who had paid £3/11/- per annum rent since 1908, and stood in 0.162 of an acre. Ward inhabited a living room and scullery downstairs with two bedrooms above. A barn stood outside. Mrs. Housden had a parlour, living room and scullery downstairs with two bedrooms above. Once again a barn stood outside. The original rooms would have been the two living rooms and the parlour, the sculleries being later additions.

The valuer was not impressed. He commented: "Very low and poor" and noted that water came from an outside tap fifteen yards away.