Coopers at Wood End January 2010

What is today Coopers was once called Cottage Farm. In 1918 it formed part of the Tingrith Estate of the Trevor Battye family and was, with a substantial part of the rest of the estate, including Wood End Farm, sold by auction that year [Z720/1/28]. Cottage Farm formed Lot 10, described as: "A Capital Little Farm", containing 17 acres, 1 rood, 27 poles and leased for £37/5/- per annum to J. Cooper.

The farm was described thus: "The Brick and Tiled FARM HOUSE contains Sitting Room, Store Room, Dairy, Kitchen, and Three Bedrooms. Wood Barn. Vegetable Garden. Well of Water. The Timber and Tiled HOMESTEAD comprises Barn, Loose Box, Cow House for Ten Cows, Stabling for Four Horses and a Cart Hovel".

The Rating and Valuation Act 1925 specified that every property and piece of land in the country had to be assessed to determine its rateable value. Like much of Bedfordshire, Westoning was valued in 1927 and the valuer visiting Cottage Farm [DV1/H16/70] found it owned by S. Hubbard and occupied by Frank Cooper (hence the modern name). The farm comprised just 17½ acres and Cooper paid £36 per annum in rent. The valuer commented: "Rotten place. Waiting for it to be Vacant then pull down".

The rotten brick and tile place comprised a reception room, kitchen and dining room with three bedrooms upstairs. An earth closet stood outside. Water came from a well in the yard.

The homestead comprised: a wood and tile store house; a cow house for four beasts; a barn used as a store; a chaff house; a cow house for seventeen beasts and a food store. The valuer commented: "Buildings in very bad order".