[With many thanks to John Hill]
[See also the Bakers of Walkern]

Walkern, Hertfordshire

Between Stevenage and Buntingford
About four miles from Stevenage Station, on the Great Northern Railway

 Comprising a commodious principally Brick-Built and Tiled Dwelling House and Old-Established Bakery and Wholesale and Retail Corn Dealing Business Premises, with Baker’s Shop, two enclosures of Old Pasture Land, a portion of which is eligible for Building Purposes:

A Dwelling House with Front Shop, also Four Cottages and Garden Ground;

The area of the property is 5 acres 1 rood or thereabouts; to be offered for sale by auction, by Mr George Jackson, at the White Lion, Walkern, on Thursday, May 19^th, 1881, at Two for Three o’clock, by direction of the mortgagee.

The whole property will be offered in one lot, and if not sold will be offered in the following lots:

Lot 1

The valuable & compact freehold property (land tax redeemed) comprising the commodious and principally brick-built, tiled and slated Dwelling House, containing an attic bedroom; on the second floor, 5 bedrooms, approached by 2 staircases; 2 front sitting rooms, large kitchen, dairy, and cellar;

Adjoining the house, and in communication therewith is the Baker’s Shop fitted up with a 11-bushel coal oven, and a 7-bushel wood oven; counting house, flour-room or warehouse, store-room, drying-room, and Man’s room, with approach from bake house;

Adjoining is a large brick and slated wash-house with lift pump; A covered gateway entrance from street to a large enclosed yard, in which is a timber and thatched store-house with loft over, stable, churn-house, cheese-house, and meal-house;

A partly brick, timber and thatched retail corn-warehouse with boarded floor, enclosed by sliding door; Timber and thatched 3-bayed open cart-shed; a small yard; Timber, thatched and tiled corn-barn with asphalte floor, and corn shop with loft over;

A productive garden, partly enclosed by a brick wall; Adjoining which in the rear is a valuable enclosure of pasture land. The above has been used for the purposes of a very Old Established Bakery business, doing about 16 sacks per week, and attached to which is a Wholesale and Retail Corn Dealing Business

It is well placed in the Village; in the occupation of Mr Stockbridge; having a frontage to the High Street of about 64 feet and a depth of about 600 feet; No 542 [and 543]on tithe plan; and contains about 3 roods 15 poles

Lot 2

A partly Brick-built Dwelling House with Double-Fronted Shop. Many years used as a Harness Maker’s Shop, but now in the occupation of Mr Wm Warren, and used as a Tea and Coffee Shop, and contains 3 bed-rooms, sitting room, wash-house, and wood oven;

Together with a Yard enclosed from the road by a pair of Folding Gates; a Timber and Pantiled Cow-House and Piggeries, and Timber and Thatched Cattle-Shed;

Also an Enclosure of Pasture Land (as staked out), a Piece of Enclosed Garden Ground;

Four Convenient Cottages (formerly five) adjoining the Dwelling House, two of which are Brick-built and Tiled; In the respective occupations of Poulter, Cox, Goodchild, and Cotton;

With Piece of Garden Ground and Wood Barn to each, and Well of Water;

The whole of the above are let at Rentals amounting to £26 per annum, (Exclusive of the Piece of Pasture Land), Landlord paying Rates and Taxes.

The above has a frontage to the High Street of about 49 feet and a depth of about 250 feet; the Garden and Paddock extend a considerable distance at the back of adjoining Houses forming part of the High Street.

The area of this lot is 3 Roods (35) Poles, or thereabouts. Part of No 541 on parish tithe