More info on Nos. 4 & 4a Beveridge Street

History of 4 & 4a Beveridge Street

No. 4a is one of the oldest houses in the village and is identified by the timber frame construction. The timbers on the side next to the jitty known as Little Lane are original - possibly 300-400 years old - and the carpenter's construction marks can still be seen on one of the timbers.

The Schedule of Listed Buildings describes 4a as being late 16th century and timber framed. The door and window of the ground floor are modern, above this is a cross beam and two corner posts braced to a curving collar beam. The main timbers of the facade are now planked over. The side elevation has a rubble plinth, no sill beam and continuous vertical posts with arch braces and an interupted cross beam above which the ends of inner ceiling beams are visible.

Nos 4 and 4a were once part of the same property, and in Kelly's Directory of 1888 were said to be owned by the village butcher, John Lockwood, who lived at No. 4 and had his shop at No. 4a. Apparently he slaughtered his own cattle at the back of the shop in what is now the gardens to No. 4, and cattle bones buried in the ground have been found. The butcher would deliver to his customers using a horse and cart to get round the village, and it was his habit to have a glass of beer at each stop, getting a little tipsy in the process. Fortunately the horse knew the way home!

The Electoral Register lists Walter and Grace Hubbard as living at 4/4a from 1924- 1948 and Kelly's Directory in 1922 and 1925 lists Walter Hubbard as butcher in the village but with no address.

In the 19th and 20^th century, No. 4a had various other uses as a shop. It was used as a cobbler's, proprietor Mr Morgan whose descendants still live in the village, and in the 1940's Mrs Bertha Bunney is listed as a hairdresser at No. 4a. Also it was used as a saddler's and riding lessons were given in the garden of No. 4 which at the time stretched behind No. 6. Also, for a while it was an antique shop when the present bow window was installed, then a shop known to all as Penny Wise which sold riding clothes and tack. In the 1970's the property was sold and became a residential cottage.

Of No. 4, Kathryn says: Our house is something of a hotch potch having been altered many times. The earliest evidence I have of its existence is a map of Watkinson's lands in 1816. We have a beam in our down stairs bathroom which a friend, who works for English Heritage, identified as 17th century, it could however be a reused beam . The same friend agreed with us that it was probably a two room cottage and scullery with a 'ladder' from what is now our living room to get to the upstairs. It looks as though it was 'modernised' sometime in the 19th century. We think the roof was lifted and the stone front replaced with the brick front we have now,(the two side walls are still thick granite) and perhaps the staircase was put in. There is evidence of a small window in the cellar wall, which is now in our kitchen but would have been outside in the past. There is also the remains of a small window between the two rooms downstairs and also one on the stairs. We have been told, though we have not seen it, that it looks as though there was a window in the bedroom wall which now is next to No 6. The two houses look from the front as though they are joined but in fact they are not , but we do share a chimney.

No. 6 was sold in 1924 for ca £300. It was one property then but when Ralph Robinson bought it in 1948 it was two properties which he subsequently reunited. I have copies on disc of some documents relating to the house .

The Carpenters Marks on 4a Beveridge Street