3 and 4 Church End March 2008

Old Warden is something of a show village due to the preponderance of attractive cottages; some are tiled, some are thatched, but most are quaint looking and painted in the same livery of cream and white. Most are rendered and some have mock timber framing on the outside (sometimes concealing real timber framing beneath the render!). All look old but many are 19th century. They all belonged to the Shuttleworth Estate as it was known after Joseph Shuttleworth bought the estate in 1872. It had previously been the Ongley estate after Samuel Ongley bought it from Earl Bolingbroke, a member of the Saint John family of Bletsoe, in 1698.

3 to 6 Church End were listed by the former Department of Environment as Grade II, of special interest in 1970. All are mid to late 19th century, meaning that they were built in the last years of the Ongley family's ownership of the estate, or the first years under the Shuttleworths. They are constructed of mottled pink brick with a colour-washed rough-cast render and clay tiled roofs with bands of fish scale tiles. All are a singe storey and have a two room block nearest the road with a brick block behind, Number 3 has a two span roof and is entered from the north side, the rest are single span and are entered from the back. 

3 to 6 Church End March 2008

In 1927 the dwellings of Old Warden were valued under the Rating Valuation Act 1925; every piece of land and building in the country was assessed to determine the rates to be paid on it. The valuer visiting 3 to 6 Church End [DV1/C34/83-86] found  them all owned by the Shuttleworth Estate.

3 Church End, or 3 The Village, as it was then known, was occupied by J.Copnall and comprised two bedrooms, a larder and parlour with a barn and earth closet outside, the whole property stood in 0.294 acres. He noted "Fetch water" obviously from the pump just across the road. Numbers 4 to 6 respectively were occupied by A.Shelton, Brunt and F.Payne. All were alike, standing in 0.293 acres and comprising two bedrooms, a living room and scullery with a wash-house and earth closet outside. The valuer noted: "Nice but v.small"; rent was £5/8/0 per annum each.