How much attention have you ever paid to the four houses that stand opposite the entrance to the Cheviot Meadows estate in Acklington?
These houses were constructed for agricultural workers, and were the first to be completed in Northumberland under the Northumberland War Agricultural Executive Committee War-time Emergency Programme.
Alnwick Rural District Council were allocated funding for 22 houses, with others being erected at Shilbottle, Felton, Lesbury and Embleton.
The Acklington houses were designed by George Reavell, of Reavell and Cahill Architects of Alnwick. The specification of work dates to June 1943 and contains some interesting points:
· Bricks to be from Radcliffe or another approved kiln
· Floor of the wash house should have a slight fall towards the door
· Paths should be 3ft wide and topped with 1” of whin chips
· Wood to be British Columbian Douglas Fir or Canadian Red Pine
· Roof over wash house to be covered with Turners’ “Big-six” asbestos cement sheets, with asbestos washers
Several builders tendered for the job, but R. Carse & Son Ltd., of Amble were chosen for the project, charging £4,400 (approx. £158,000 today). J.T. Tulley, Electrical Contractor, of Northumberland Terrace, Amble, were chosen to “electrify” the houses. Building supplies were sourced from J.T. Dove Ltd., South Street, Newcastle.
In March 1943, a site near the Vicarage (the Vicar’s half-acre) was chosen for the houses but there were concerns that the construction would interfere with the sewer and water course. By April that year, the Regional Architect and Planning Officer were favouring a site in the middle of the village, opposite the school, but drainage needed to be investigated.
Concerns raised in May 1943 – that the Vicar’s half-acre was favoured as a spot for the extension to the cemetery – led to Northumberland Estates being approached, in order to purchase land on the west side of the drain. The Council decided on north-fronted houses with slate roofs, with the bedroom windows to be four panes high, so any invalid in bed could see a proper view, not just the sky.
Northumberland Estates raised their own concerns in June 1943 over selling the land to the Council, which would leave them with a narrow strip behind. They wanted to try and sell this to the Council so they could turn it into allotments.
By November 1943 the houses were under construction. Reavell notes that the windows had arrived, not all correctly handed but that they were having “to make the best of it”. In January 1944, Reavell writes to Carse, the builder, “I noticed the glazier, who was trimming off the putties, had left three windows flying in the wind – rather a daft thing to do. I told him about it.”
The houses were completed on Saturday 12 February 1944, and the keys handed over to the Council. Charging 10/- a week rent (approx. £22 today), by March 1944, three tenants had been selected and informed, but there was a delay in the actual occupation. The Chairman of the Council had visited for an inspection and noted, “Every convenience had been provided…and they compared very favourably with the best council houses in the rural area.”