62 High Street Toddington

62 High Street February 2013

62, High Street was listed by English Heritage under the name of Toddington Florists as being Grade II, of special interest in 1992. The rear wing of the property, dating from around the 17th century, is timber-framed with brick infilling and a steeply pitched plain tile roof with gabled ends. The front range was added in the 18th century and remodelled in the 19th. This is brick, partly painted and rendered and with a hipped asbestos tile roof, with brick chimney stacks. The two-storey building has a two window east front with a 20th century shopfront on the ground floor and two four pane sashes on the first floor. The rear wing has 19th century casement windows with glazing bars; the west gable end is brick. Inside the shop at the front has a chamfered cross-beam, and a rear room in the original wing has a chamfered axial beam now partly buried in wall plaster. The only part of the original building to survive in the roof is the timber frame east gable end or closed truss and the collar in the west gable.

In 1820 Thomas Fisher a brick built, timber framed property which he described as Mr. Fletcher's House. Although this looks dramatically different to the present day 62, High Street. Alan Higgs of Toddington has been able to demonstrate that it was indeed the same property. By 1867 the premises had become a beerhouse known as the Bedford Arms. The beerhouse was fully licensed as a public house in 1954 and it seems likely that it was around this time that the Bedford Arms moved next door to premises at 64 High Street previously known as Withington House. The former beerhouse subsequently became a retail shop known as Toddington Florists.