Ivy Cottage - 50 Church Road Wootton
Ivy Cottage March 2012
Ivy Cottage is on the north side of Church Road, more or less opposite the church. It is a contrast in size with Wootton House nearby but a match for it in date, if not somewhat older. It was listed by the Department of Environment, the Department's architect considering that it is 17th century "or slightly earlier". The property is timber-framed covered by rendering and has a clay tile roof. It forms a T-plan with a projecting two storey porch to the main wing.
In 1927 Bedfordshire was valued under the terms of the Rating Valuation Act of 1925; every piece of land and property was inspected to determine the rates to be paid on it. The valuer visiting Ivy Cottage [DV1/C50/90] noted that it was owned as part of the Wootton House Estate by Mrs. Doyne Ditmas, who had bought her father out in 1923, and tenanted by a Mrs. Isaacs; it was then stuccoed and tiled. It comprised a dining room, drawing room and kitchen downstairs with three bedrooms and a box room above; outside were an earth closet and barn. The valuer noted: "Very nice house but v. very old indeed & in a very dilapidated state. Water from pump. Very old & shaky. Big".
At nearly the same time as the cottage was being valued it was put up for sale as part of the Wootton Estate. The sale particulars [Z375/1] read: “A Capital Small Holding NEAR THE CHURCH Adjoining the property comprised in the preceding lot [48 Church Road] and having a Frontage of about 140 feet to Church End Road and 260 feet Frontage to Causeway End Road COMPRISING A Small Old-fashioned House KNOWN AS “IVY COTTAGE” With rough-cast elevation, Porch Entrance and Front Garden, containing THREE BEDROOMS and BOX ROOM, DRWING ROOM, DINING ROOM, KITCHEN, Lean-to SCULLERY with copper and sink. DAIRY with brick floor. E. C. in Yard, and adjoining is A Small Set of Farm Buildings Comprising Timber and Tile Granary, Three-bay Open Cart Shed, Stable for 2 horses, Loose-Box, Coach-house and a Six-bay Open Cattle Shed. In the rear is Small Orchard and Good Paddock. The whole containing an Area of about 2 acres, 3 roods, 3 poles”.
“Numbers 64 & 66 – Ivy Cottage and Garden (24 poles) is let to Mrs. Isaac under special conditions (see Condition of Sale No. 14), the present rent being per annum £4. Numbers 65 & 67 – The remainder (2 acres, 2 roods, 19 poles) is at present let to Mr. H. Cave on a Yearly (Michaelmas) tenancy at a rent of per annum £12”.
The special conditions read: “Lot 22 is sold subject to the provisions of an Agreement dated the 30th November 1923 under which part of the Lot namely the land No. 64 and 66 is let to Lucy Isaac, aged 55, during the life of Sir Philip Monoux Payne, Baronet, aged 68, at the yearly rental of £4 and on his death the said Lucy Isaac is entitled to the grant of the tenancy on the whole of Lot 22 at the rent of a peppercorn such tenancy can, however, be determined by either party giving the other not less than one calendar month’s previous notice in writing but the Owner of Lot 22 cannot give notice to quit during the life of the said Lucy Isaac”.