Meadow Cottage March 2010

This attractive cottage stands on the north side of The Lane. Bedfordshire's Historic Environment Record [HER] lists every historic building and landscape feature in the county. Summaries of each entry are now available on-line as part of the Heritage Gateway website. The entry [HER 1749] describes the property as 17th or 18th century in origin, though extensively altered in the 20th century. It is built of colourwashed plaster over a timber frame, with a thatched roof. A large modern extension has been added.

The Rating and Valuation Act 1925 specified that every building and piece of land in the country should be assessed to determine their rateable value. Wyboston was assessed in 1927 and the valuer visiting Meadow Cottage [DV1/C199/88] found it owned and occupied by E. Parren.

The premises comprised a living room, kitchen and parlour with two bedrooms in the attics ("roof very low"). Outside stood a washhouse and a number of farm buildings comprising a barn, stable for one horse, stable for two horses, and a three bay open shelter. There was also a rickyard. A later hand has annotated the entry to read the owner as someone called Hawkins and the occupier someone called Hunt.