61 to 67 High Street Riseley

61 to 67 High Street April 2015

This row of cottages was listed by the former Department of Environment in June 1974 as Grade II, of special interest. It sates from the 17th century, with later additions, and is constructed of colour-washed roughcast over a timber frame with a thatched roof. There are 19th century brick additions to both gable ends and single storey lean-to extensions at the rear.

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. The valuer visiting the row [DV1/C215/147-150] found it owned by J E Partridge of Northampton. Today's Numbers 61 and 65, as their modern numbering suggests, were then three cottages in the respective occupations of Mrs Alice Litchfield, Mrs S A Eakins and Mrs E Langley.

Mrs Litchfield paid rent of £6 per annum for a kitchen, a shop, two bedrooms and a brick and tiled barn. Her shop measured 9 feet by 11 feet. She is simply listed as a shopkeeper in Kelly's Directory so hers was, presumably, a general store. The other two tenants paid rent of £4 per annum each for a kitchen, a scullery and one bedroom, again with a brick and tiled barn outside. Number 67 was in occupation of I Dickens who paid rent of £6 per annum for a living room, kitchen, scullery and two bedrooms with a weather-boarded and tiled barn outside.

In 1992 planning permission was sought for a two storey rear extension to Number 67 [BorBTP/92/0117/LB].