47 to 51 High Street March 2008

47 to 51 High Street is a long terrace of five dwellings facing the Stanford Road. The terrace was listed by the former Department of Environment as Grade II, of special interest. A plaque noted that the terrace was constructed by Samuel Whitbread II in 1798 and restored in 1850. The dwellings are timber-framed structures with colour-washed rough-cast rendering and clay tiled roofs with bands of fish scale tiles. The façade is notably symmetrical with eight windows and five dormers set in the roof.

In 1927 Southill was 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 47 to 51 High Street [DV1/C32/140-144] noted that they were owned by the Whitbread Estate and tenanted by F.H.Hatton, A.Hanscombe, Joseph Faulkner, Mrs.Webber and Mrs.E.Robinson respectively at respective rents of £7/16/0, £5/4/0, £6/1/6, £7/16/0 and £6/0/6. All stood in just under a third of an acre and comprised the same accommodation - living room, kitchen with copper and sink and a small parlour downstairs with two bedrooms above; outside were barns, earth closets and small outhouses. Water was laid on to the row.