These are late 16th century cottages, built as typical artisan cottages in which women did straw-plaiting, or lace-making to add to funds. The suggestion that the highwayman Dick Turpin was hidden here on his way to York is entirely mythical! The name came from an 18th century owner, Thomas Turpin.
The houses were bought by William Drake in about 1790, said to be so that he could secure the tenants’ votes, and were restored and then dated on the rear of the building ‘TDTD 1798’ (Thomas Drake Tyrwhitt-Drake) – see below. The cottages were sold by the Tyrrwitt-Drake family at the auction in 1928 and the average price for each cottage was about £300! See the photo gallery below for a copy of the auction sale particulars for some of the cottages – the house numbers have changed since then.
Click on any of the photographs below to enlarge it and to see the description. Then click on forward or back arrows at the foot of each photograph. To close the pictures, just click on one.
