1 and 2 Spring Lane Yelden

 
1 and 2 Spring Lane September 2015

1 and 2 Spring Lane were listed by English Heritage in August 1983 as Grade II, of special interest. The cottages date from the 17th century and are constructed from colour-washed roughcast over a timber frame with a thatched roof. They comprise a single storey with attics. The doors are in the south elevation at the rear. Number 2 has a small red brick and pantiled single-storey extension on the right-hand side.

The cottages seem to have formed part of the Yelden Estate, which was sold in 1876. Unfortunately the plan and sale particulars [AD1147/30] are not sufficiently detailed to enable the individual premises to be identified.

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. The valuer visiting the properties found them owned by W H Hodgkins [DV1/C190/26-28]. At that date there were three separate dwellings in the block. The most south-easterly was inhabited by Mrs Clarke whose rent was £5 per annum for a living room and bedroom. A washhouse stood outside. The valuer commented: "very poor type and in bad state". The middle dwelling was in occupation of Mrs Shorter who paid the same rent for the same accommodation. The other part of the block was occupied by Hodgkins himself who had a living room, a kitchen and two bedrooms, with a range of brick and tiled coal and store sheds and a brick, corrugated iron and tiled mixing and tool shed outside.