Park Farm Thurleigh

Park Farmhouse January 2015

Park Farmhouse was listed by English Heritage in August 1983 as Grade II, of special interest. It dates from the 17th century and has colour-washed rough-cast over a timber frame, with an asbestos tiled roof. It has two storeys with a single storey addition to the north gable end and a weatherboarded barn at the south gable end.

In 1902 Park Farm, comprising 83 acres, 1 rood, 37 poles was sold by the trustees of the will of Thomas Howkins [X65/35]. The “conveniently arranged house which is stud and brick built and thatched” contained a living room, a hall, a sitting room, a dairy, a cellar, a larder, front and back staircases and four bedrooms “also a brick and tiled kitchen”.

The homestead, largely thatched, contained: a “capital” large thrashing and corn barn; a two-bay shelter hovel and nag stable; three piggeries; a two-bay shed and cowhouse; a henhouse; a cart-horse stable for four horses; a chaff house and coachhouse with “a convenient stock yard”. The tenant was John Franklin who paid rent of £84 per annum.

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 Park Farm on 15th March 1927 [DV1/H21/50] found it owned by Mrs Sims and occupied by L Stapleton who paid £80 per annum for 80 acres. The valuer noted: "Came 1920, previous rent not known, no drinking water, has to fetch, horse pond for yards".

The valuer noted of the house: "thatched and stucco - old". It had a parlour, a living room, a kitchen, a dairy and three bedrooms. Outside were: a washhouse; a barn , partly used as a loose box; a two bay hovel; a loose box with a manger; a granary; a three-bay cart hovel; three loose boxes; a two-bay hovel; a four-stall stable; a hen house; a store place and a four-stall stable.