35, Northbrook

The Northbrook is one of the streams flowing through Market Lavington. The road leading from the Market Place, over the stream and up onto the greensand hill to the north of the village, is called Northbrook. It was formerly a well populated residential area of the village, with many small cottages, some of which have been demolished and replaced over the years, with the building materials being reclaimed and reused.

Northbrook has featured in several previous blog posts including Northbrook view – 1910, Northbrook in the 1970s, A Northbrook View, Northbrook Cottage, Northbrook – 1929 and The Northbrook Terrace. For more, use the search box on the right of the current day’s blog.

In the 1861 census, 172 people lived on Northbrook. There were 158 residents in 1871 and 103 in 1891.

At the museum, we have this photograph of one of the long gone cottages.

Our records give just a little information. We are told that the house was 35, Northbrook and that it was on the left hand side beyond the bridge. That, in itself, isn’t very helpful as it doesn’t give the direction of travel over the bridge. However, the current house numbers are even on the right as you go away from the Market Place and up onto the sands. That would suggest that cottage 35 was on the left across the stream going away from the village centre. The cottage in this photograph does not appear to match pictures we have of the half timbered Tudor cottage along the path by the stream or the brick built home that was nearer to the road.

We know that our picture was taken in 1910 by the family of William Willis, who lived there.

If one of our local readers has more knowledge about the exact location of this cottage, we would welcome a comment.