Foxon House - 23 Park Road Toddington

Foxon House March 2016

Foxon House was listed in 1980 by the former Department of the Environment as Grade II, of special interest. The house was built in the mid-19th century and is of colour-washed brick with a Welsh slate roof and paired bracketed eaves. It has three sash windows with marginal glazing bars, and a door surround of Doric pilasters with cornice and dentil frieze. A weather-boarded, thatched barn which stood to the west of the house was also listed as Grade II in 1980. However it is since been demolished.

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 the valuation was carried out for Toddington in 1927 Foxon House was owned and occupied by Charles Dean (he was still listed as a smallholder at 23 Park Street in the last countywide directory of 1940). Downstairs there were two reception rooms, a kitchen and a scullery, and upstairs were four bedrooms. The house had no bathroom. Outside there was a range of farm buildings consisting of a timber and thatch cart hovel, timber and corrugated iron stable, barn and loose boxes, and a timber and tile cart hovel. The valuer noted that these buildings were sufficient for a homestead of 60 to 70 acres or more, but as there was no land they were useless and of only nominal value [DV1/C127/7].

Barn at Foxon House March 2016