Joel Cottage December 2007

Joel Cottage looks like an old building and when Department of Environment listed it they confirmed that it dates to the 17th century. It is built of coursed limestone rubble with a roughcast and timber-framed section on the left-hand side facing the road. It has a thatched roof with what is referred to as an eye-brow dormer window on the left-hand side.

In 1926 this part of Bedfordshire was valued under the Rating Valuation Act of 1925; every piece of land and building was inspected to determine the rates to be paid upon it. The valuer visiting the cottage noted it on pages 48 to 50 of is notebook [DV1/C36/48-50] and it thus appeared under those numbers on the plan. This is because what is now one cottage with outbuildings was then three separate dwellings (or tenements to use the legal word employed in deeds). All the tenements were owned by A.J.Whitmee. The valuer noted that 48 on the map (the southern part of the main cottage) was occupied by H.Cockings and comprised a living room, front room and kitchen downstairs with two bedrooms above and a barn and earth closet outside. The valuer commented: "Was farm house. Impossible to measure. Very old. Only 1 door each. V. bad slope". 49 lay behind the main cottage and was occupied by J.Jackson, it comprised a living room, kitchen, front room and bedroom with an earth closet and barn outside. The valuer commented: "Very poor places. Poor. bad slope". 50 was the northern part of the present cottage and was occupied by C.King. It comprised a living room, front room and kitchen downstairs with two bedrooms above and an earth closet and barn outside. The valuer commented: "Very poor places. V.Low. Poor".