Willow Thatch - 129 High Road Shillington

129 High Road  April 2015

Willow Thatch was listed by the former Department of Environment in July 1975 as Grade II, of special interest. The house dates from the late 17th or early 18th century and has a timber-framed construction and a thatched roof and comprises two storeys. The west bay of the house is a little lower suggesting it is somewhat later than the rest. There is a single storey addition at the east end.

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 cottage [DV1/C62/29] found that it formed part of the Manor of Shillington and was owned by the lady of the manor. The tenant was C Cole whose rent was £7/10/- per annum for two living rooms, a scullery and two bedrooms. A wood and corrugated iron range of old piggeries used as barns stood outside. The valuer commented: "quite nice could be weekend" in other words a weekend cottage for rich city dwellers.

In 2008 the cottage was for sale. At that date the particulars [Z449/2/102] specified an entrance porch, a sitting room measuring 15 feet 10 inches by 12 feet 2 inches, an inner hallway, a dining room measuring 13 feet 3 inches by 9 feet 5 inches, a kitchen measuring 14 feet by 8 feet 3 inches, a breakfast area measuring 13 feet 4 inches by 7 feet and a bathroom downstairs. The bedrooms upstairs measured 12 feet by 11 feet 8 inches, 12 feet by 11 feet 7 inches and13 feet 4 inches by 8 feet 5 inches respectively. The rear garden measured 270 feet by 112 feet and there was a garage, a garden store and a study/office/playroom measuring 16 feet by 9 feet 10 inches, presumably the old piggeries/barns.