81 Station Road Tempsford

 
81 Station Road February 2016

81 Station Road was listed by English Heritage in November 1986 as Grade II, of special interest. It is thought to date from the 16th century, being extended in the 18th century and re-faced in the 19th century. The building is timber-framed with a mottled brick skin and has a thatched roof beneath which is a single storey with attics.  The original structure is reckoned to have had two rooms downstairs with the first floor jettied towards the road, in other words, extending out over the ground floor. A newer bay on the road side now encases this jettied structure.

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 the cottage [DV1/H56/4] found that Village Farm, as it was then known, was part of the Tempsford Estate, tenanted by J Gosling who farmed over 13 acres. The valuer commented:  “House nice, thatched”. It contained a parlour, a living room, a scullery and three bedrooms. A barn stood outside. The valuer noted: “Small garden, water from pump in back yard.” The farm buildings included sheds, barns, a cart lodge and a stable.