2 and 4 Church Road March 2011

2 and 4 Church Road stand on part of the site formerly occupied by the Ragged Staff Inn. They were listed by the former Department of Environment in January 1985 as Grade II, of special interest. The department dated the pair of cottages to the 18th century. They must be later than 1719 which is the last known date for the Ragged Staff.

They have a timber-framed construction with colour-washed roughcast
render. They have a clay tile roof over one storey and attics. They were extended in the 20th century by having an addition to the right hand side, i.e. to Number 2.

A map drawn up for the 2nd Earl de Grey in 1856 [L33/12/13] shows that 2 Church Road was tenanted by Widow Porter. 4 Church Road was in the occupation of Isaac Swannell.

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 2 and 4 Church Road in 1927 [DV1/C236/80-81] found that they were both owned by their occupiers.

Number 2 was owned by Mrs. R. Sutton and her accommodation comprised a reception room, a kitchen, a scullery and two "small" bedrooms. A brick and tiled barn and a brick and slated earth closet lay outside. Mrs. Sutton or her immediate predecessor probably bought the cottage from the Wrest Park Estate in 1918 or 1919.

Number 4 had identical accommodation and was owned by Sydney Mann. The valuer noted that this house had been "washed pink" and that it had three bedrooms in all, one in the attic, but all three were "very small". Mann had bought the cottage from Nan Ino, 10th Baroness Lucas, owner of the Wrest Park Estate in March 1918 as sitting tenant for £95 [L23/312].