Buttercup Farmhouse Tebworth

Buttercup Farm February 2013

Buttercup Farmhouse was listed by the former Department of Environment in September 1980 as Grade II, of special interest. It dates from the late 17th or early 18th century and is built of brick with red brick and vitrified bricks forming a chequered pattern and comprises two storeys beneath a thatched roof.

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 Buttercup Farmhouse [DV1/C15/81] found that it was now a dwelling, owned by Mrs Emmerton and occupied by A Hack with no farm attached to it. The house stood in just 0.194 of an acre. Rent was £23 per annum rent including buildings and land and was at a “family” rate.

The property comprised a reception room, a living room, a kitchen and a dining room downstairs with three bedrooms above. A brick and tiled earth closet stood outside. The valuer noted: “Enormous thatch roof” and “very old”.

Although the house was no longer part of a farm as such Hack did rent some adjoining farm buildings, together with 3.714 acres of land from Mrs Emmerton – he was obviously running a smallholding. The farm buildings comprised: a brick and tiled barn, mixing house and stall for two horses; a large brick, weather-boarded and tiled barn; a brick and tiled three bay hovel; a loose box and a weather-boarded and corrugated iron hen house. The valuer commented: “Quite a nice yard – a small homestead”.