3 Cheyney Street

Origins

This house is on part of an historic dwelling site, originally an enclosure of about half an acre, believed to be from the common land of Steeple Morden Manor. On the Enclosure Map the full plot is outlined in green and originally probably included that part of the yellow outlined plot directly behind. Sitting on the corner of Cheyney Street and Hay Street, it actually had a longer frontage to Hay Street than Cheyney Street.

The plot was split into two and this likely occurred about the time this yeoman’s house, which today is No 3 Cheyney Street, was built in the late 1600s. At some point, the yellow land was split off, possibly around 1750-1775. All the original plot of land would have still been in single ownership, so such divisions were not problematic.

The Enclosure and Tithe Maps below depict well the origins of the plot and its division.

This house has a story and even in its earliest manifestation it had stature as a yeoman’s house rather than a labourer’s cottage and is much older than it appears today. It is timber framed and rendered, except a brick facade was erected in the late 1800s (pre 1896) on the roadside and that immediately modernised its appearance. It is a facade in a couple of meanings, as it is said that the brick wall is free standing from the timber frame, although there must be some ties somewhere?

After the First World War the first public telephone in Steeple Morden was installed in this house and the number was Steeple Morden 1. The belief was that people would come to use the parish telephone. However, it became clear that the convenience of a telephone in your own business or home, was preferable, especially to facilitate acceptance of incoming calls. No 3 Cheyney Street and the Matthews family were further accommodating and the first Steeple Morden telephone exchange was installed, in their front room behind the downstairs right hand window. Lily Matthews became the exchange operator

PAGE IN PREPARATION

Listed Building

Listing details: Grade II since 4 September 1986

House. Possibly late C17 with c.1900 alterations. Timber-framed and roughcast rendered with brick casing and painted brick. Plain tiled roof. Stack behind ridge. Two storeys with rear outshut. Brick casing to front elevation; (painted brick rear wall). Central door, C20 open porch. Three ground floor three-light casement windows in segmental brick arches, three first floor casement windows.

Owners of 3 Cheyney Street

Occupiers of 3 Cheyney Street

Click on image below to view. Click again to enlarge. Drag to view entire image.