8 West End Road March 2011

The Bedfordshire Historic Environment Record [HER] contains information on the county's historic buildings and landscapes and summaries of each entry can now be found online as part of the Heritage Gateway website. The entry for 8 West End Road [HER 15273] describes it as a 17th to early 18th century timber-framed house which has been pebbledashed. An 18th century barn is located to the rear; this was replaced in August to September 1990 by a modern timber framed structure now used as a residental extension.

A map of 1718 accompanying a rental survey for the Duke of Kent [L33/286 folio 11] shows a building on the site of 8 West End Road. Of similar shape to today's building, which backs up the dating given by the HER. A map drawn up for the 2nd Earl de Grey in 1856 [L33/12/13] shows that  8 West End Road was occupied by Charles Brightman.

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 8 West End Road [DV1/C236/37] found it owned and occupied by Thomas Case. The house stood in just under half an acre. He had bought the property from Nan Ino, 10th Baroness Lucas, owner of the Wrest Park Estate as sitting tenant in March 1918 for £280 [L23/326].

Accommodation comprised a reception room, a living room, a kitchen, a scullery and a pantry. Four bedrooms, one of them small, stood on the first floor. A coal barn and a wood barn stood outside. Also outside was a brick earth closet, a store barn and a cycle shed measuring 14 feet 6 inches by 6 feet 6 inches. The valuer commented: "Rambling place, beds in roof".