18 to 22 Church Green February 2010

Church Green is largely an area of modern housing, but there are some older properties, including the terrace numbered as 18 to 22. The design is not unique; a similarly built property standing in Thomas Street, Heath and Reach, for example.

In 1829, following the death of the Earl of Bridgewater, his estate in Totternhoe was surveyed [BW1004]. The survey also included every building in the parish, whether owned by the estate or not (and at that date most were not). A cottage and garden owned by a man named Stonnel and occupied by William Kingstone stood on the site of the later terrace. The cottage stood in 6 poles of land.

A similar survey was carried out in 1840 and by that date the cottage was owned by John Olney and still occupied by William Kingstone. The 1841 census reveals that he was about 50 years old and an agricultural labourer. He was living with his wife Sarah, about 45, and thaie son Thomas, about 20 and also an agricultural labourer. It is difficult to be certain but another family may have also lived at the address - William Brinklow, aged about 30 and an agricultural labourer and his wife Mary, aged about 25, with their children George aged 4 and James aged 1.

It would seem that the current houses were built in the second half of the 19th century. The Rating and Valuation Act 1925 specified that every piece of land and property in the country should be valued to determine its rateable value. Totternhoe, like much of Bedfordshire, was assessed in 1927 and the valuer visiting 18-22 Church Green [DV1/C/91-93] found them all owned by A. T. Twidell. One was vacant and contained a living room and combined kitchen and scullery, with two bedrooms above. The middle dwelling was occupied by George Turvey at a rent of 2/6 per week and the other end by E. Holland at a rent of thirty shillings per quarter. Both these two properties were identical to the empty one.