11 to 15 Market Square Toddington

11 to 15 Market Square March 2016

These three properties which form the right-hand, southernmost end of a terrace were listed by the former Department of the Environment in 1980 as Grade II, of special interest. They were built in the 18th century and have a half-hipped old clay tile roof. Number 11's bricks are red stretchers and vitrified headers, and the property has a modern ground floor shop front. Numbers 13 and 15 are of whitewashed brick with modern casements [HER6461]. Number 9 originally formed part of this row but was replaced by the modern Toddington Library. In the earlier 20th century this property had been a bakehouse and a "very poor place" [DV1/C23/20].  

In 1877 when these four properties were mortgaged by Charles Pearson Hobbs to Edith Hawkins for £200 they were described as "four cottages or tenements formerly three tenements". When the row was put up for sale in 1884 the sale poster description read: "a very substantially-built brick-and-tile dwelling-house, let as four tenements, brick timber and tile barns, pigsties, back yard, extensive gardens, with cart entrance from Duck Lane [Conger Lane]". The tenants were William Garrard, William Hart, E. Turner and Thomas Smith, with the total annual rental for the four properties being £41.13s.0d. [HN10/274/Chappell/1-7]

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. When Toddington was surveyed the details given for the three properties were owned by A. E. Buckingham and were described as follows [DV1/C83/21-23]:

• Number 11: Downstairs: shop 10 feet by 12½ feet; two living rooms; scullery. Upstairs : three bedrooms; attic. Outside: brick and tile slaughter house, fasting pen and barn (all described by the valuer as "very bad"). The property was owned by A.E. Bucking and occupied by S. Fletcher at a rent of £26 per annum; he had been the tenant for three years, presumably butchery was carried out at the premises.
• Number 13: Downstairs: Living room; kitchen; scullery. Upstairs: one bedroom; attic. Outside: barn and earth closet. This house was owned and occupied by H. W. Thomas.
• Number 15 (end of terrace): Downstairs: Shop 15 feet by 13 feet; living room (less the shop area); scullery. Upstairs: two bedrooms. Outside: timber and tile stable, barn and fish house. This property was owned by J. Innell and rented by G. Potts for £12 per annum It was in use as a fried fish shop. The valuer noted that the outbuildings provided "very poor storage". Potts is not listed in any directory for the period.

In 2015 number 11 was the Bombay Tandoori Restaurant; number 13 was Roberts Video and Audio Specialists; and number 15 was Peking House Chinese Take Away.