4 to 8 Thorncote Road March 2010

4 to 8 Thorncote Road were listed by the former Department of Environment in March 1985 as Grade II, of special interest. The department dated the properties to the 17th and 18th centuries. They have a timber framed construction with colour washed roughcast exterior. In recent years the properties on Thorncote Road have all been renumbered. 4 to 8 Thorncote Road were formerly Numbered 35 to 39.

In 1910 a thorough rating valuation was carried out across England as part of David Lloyd-George’s pioneering 1909 budget. The survey was so thorough it was known colloquially as the Domesday Survey. The results show that all the older buildings in Northill were owned by John Edmund Audley Harvey, who, though he lived in London, was Lord of the Manor of Northill as well as Lord of the Manor of Ickwell and owner of Ickwell Bury. These older buildings may have been built by a former Lord of the Manor or bought by the Manor at a later stage – detailed research of the Harvey [HY] archive would be needed to try to establish this in each case, unless the current owners still have the deeds to the properties concerned and so can research the history for themselves.

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. Northill was assessed in 1927 and the valuer visiting the properties [DV1/C42/91-93] found them all owned by John Humphries, who, himself, occupied the property closest to the road. His accommodation comprised a living room and scullery downstairs with two bedrooms above. A washhouse, barn and earth closet stood outside. Humphries, or a predecessor had evidently bought the properties from the Harveys since 1910 but whether at auction or by private treaty is not known.

The property immediately behind was in the occupation of Frederick Humphries who paid rent of £6/10/- per annum, fixed in 1913. He had a living room, kitchen and bedroom downstairs with a further bedroom above. A barn and earth closet stood outside. The property at right angles to the other two was occupied by Ellen Tingey who paid rent of £5/10/- set in 1913. Her accommodation comprised a living room and kitchen with two bedrooms above. Again, a barn and earth closet stood outside. Each of the properties had a small garden and water from all three came from an outside tap.