40 Church Road Wootton

40 Church Road March 2012

40 Church Road is an older cottage than might appear at first glance. This is given away by the fact that it has a single storey with attics, though today’s attic windows are modern. The property may well date from the early 19th century.

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. Like most of the county, Wootton was largely assessed in 1927 and the valuer visiting the cottage [DV1/C50/25] noted that it was plastered and thatched. It was owned by Miss Whitehouse, who also owned 36 and 38 Church Road.

The tenant was P. Ellis whose rent was £3/17/6 per annum, set in 1922. Accommodation comprised two bedrooms, a living room and a kitchen. The valuer noted: “Rooms in roof absolutely useless”. Water came from a well (“good supply”) and the valuer summed up: “Very poor place, good garden”. A later hand has commented: “New thatch” showing that today's tiled roof is a recent development.