Studhamhall Cottages December 2009

Studhamhall Cottages form a terrace of three houses built as tied cottages for agricultural labourers at Studhamhall Farm. They stand well back from the road and make an attractive group.

The Rating and Valuation Act 1925 specified that every piece of land and building in the country was to be assessed to determine the rates to be paid on it. Studham was assessed at the end of 1926 and the valuer visiting Hall Farm Cottages, as they were then known [DV1/A26/2a-3a], noted that they were, not surprisingly owned, like Studhamhall Farm itself, by the trustees of the Ashridge Estate. The three cottages, running east to west, were occupied by Arthur Allen, Mrs. Blake "widow of gamekeeper") and George Thorne respectively.

Each cottage comprised a living room, scullery and pantry downstairs. In addition, the middle cottage had a cellar beneath. The east and central cottages had three bedrooms above, whilst that at the west end had two bedrooms and an attic above them. Each property had a brick and tile barn outside and drinking water was fetched from the farm.