Yelden Rectory

The Old Rectory at Yelden was listed by the former Ministry of Works in May 1952 as Grade II, of special interest. It seems to have some original 16th century work, though altered in the 19th century. It is built, like the church, of coursed limestone rubble with ashlar dressings. It has an old clay tiled roof. The 16th century bay. The rear extension is dated 1832.

The earliest reference to the rectory is in an archdeaconry terrier of 1638 [ABE I] where it is simply described as a house and a barn. A similar terrier in 1709 [ABE ii I page 366] describes five bays made of stone, though part of one bay was stud and clay, with s roof with was tiled over four bays and thatched over one. Outside was a four bay barn and a two-bay barn, two stables comprising three bays and a Brewhouse and dairy also of three bays. All the outbuildings were constructed of stud and clay and were thatched.

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 Rectory found that it stood in just over four acres [DV1/C190/54]. Downstairs accommodation comprised: a dining room measuring 15 feet 6 inches by 17 feet 6 inches; a hall ("poor"); a drawing room measuring 16 feet by 18 feet; a lavatory and WC; a study measuring 14 feet by 13 feet; a pantry; a larder; a kitchen ("very nice") and a scullery ("high"). A cellar lay beneath the house and a coal house and wood barn stood outside. Upstairs were: a double bedroom over the kitchen measuring 15 feet by 14 feet; a single bedroom over the study measuring 13 feet by 15 feet; a lavatory (in the sense of a place to wash) and bathroom; a double bedroom over the drawing room measuring 17 feet by 18 feet and a double bedroom over the dining room measuring 16 feet by 18 feet. In the attics were a maids' room, stoke room and vault room. Outside stood a three stall stable used as a store with two rooms over, a garage for one car, two henhouses and a two bay hovel. The house would soon have additions as planning permission for these was sought in 1926 [RDBP1/942].

From about 1967 the rector serving the parishes of Dean, Melchbourne, Shelton and Yelden no longer lived at Yelden Rectory. It was, presumably, at this point that the building was sold to become a private house.