Long Lane Farm Toddington

Long Lane Farm in 1928 [BML10/74/16]

Long Lane Farmhouse was listed by the former Department of Environment in September 1980 as Grade II, of special interest. It dates from the 18th century and is rendered in stucco. The property comprises two storeys beneath a modern tiled roof.

The farm formed part of the Manor of Toddington and in 1801 the manor was offered for sale. The particulars [R4/746/6] list 133 acres, 3 roods, 25 poles in Toddington and 22 acres, 3 roods, 25 poles in Tingrith. The farm consisted of "a Farm-House, Barn, Stabling, Cow-house and other Farm Buildings and a farm consisting of 156 Acres, 3 Roods, 10 Perches, more or less, of Arable, Meadow, and Pasture-land; let to Mrs Elizabeth Horley, on lease for Seven Years from the 25th of March 1801 at £188". Evidently the manor and its holdings did not sell as it was again put on the market in 1804, the description for Long Land Farm being identical [AD3947]. This time the manor was sold to John Cooper [AD407] though only 87 acres, 2 roods, 9 poles were conveyed with Long Lane Farm.

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 Long Lane Farm [DV1/H4/56] found it owned and occupied by John Hunt and comprising 180 acres, sporting rights were let at £35 per annum. The valuer noted: "Water from well. House fair, buildings fair"

The house comprised two reception rooms, kitchen, scullery and cellar (a later hand has written that one reception room was a study) with four bedrooms, bathroom and attic. Outside was a brick and slate earth closet as well as a brick and tiled washhouse and cooling house. A later hand has added a lean-to annexe measuring 60 feet by 19 feet and a cow shed measuring 60 feet by 25 feet.

The homestead comprised: a brick, timber and tiled stable for four and a chaff place; two loose boxes; a trap house; a four-bay implement hovel; a brick, timber and corrugated iron cow house for fourteen; a mixing house; a brick, timber and thatched cow house for five; a timber and tiled seven-bay hovel with a manger; a large brick, timber and tiled barn; a stable for three with a loft over and two old brick, timber and tiled pigsties with a hen house.

Long Lane Farm was again put up for sale in 1928 by the direction of Hunt's executors. The particulars [BML10/74/16] give acreage as 178 acres, 2 roods, 2 poles and the farmhouse as containing a basement cellar, a dairy, kitchen, square hall, dining room and drawing room on the ground floor, five bedrooms and a line cupboard on the first floor and two attics on the second floor with an adjoining washhouse and cooling house with a force pump, a garden and orchard in front and at the side. "The farm has for the past ten years been in occupation of the late Mr Hunt and is in good condition … The property originally formed part of the Cooper Toddington estates and the title shall commence with the conveyance on sale, dated the 25th March 1918".

As the Blitz ravaged cities such as London and Coventry even lowly Toddington was not spared. On 14th October 1940 a high explosive bomb fell at the farm [WW2/AR/CO/2/2].