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History of Ash and Ridley from Earliest Records to 1957
                    
Compiled by Dorothy G. Meager on behalf of Ash and Ridley Women's Institute           Page 56

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General Housing

Although many of the old cottages have been demolished, there are still a great number left and it will be observed that they are mainly built with flints which are found in the neighbourhood. Some are half flint and half timber while others are entirely timber. All originally had thatched roofs but these have mostly disappeared and have been replaced by slates or tiles. Some of the cottages have had the outer walls cemented over or rough cast to keep out the damp. After the First World War 18 houses known as Butlers Place were built by the Dartford Rural Council, the land on which they stand was given by the late Mr. George Day. These were brick built, as were most of the houses put up between the wars. A few wooden houses went up and breeze blocks have been extensively used mostly for inside walls especially since the end of World War 2. Another block of Council houses was built in 1945-46 at Hodsoll Street. The Council houses pay an inclusive rent to cover the hire of the installed electric appliances such as cooker, boiler, kettle and iron. The rent demanded does not cover the outlay on these houses, they are subsidised by Dartford Rural Council. The houses built during the last half century have gradually shown great improvements in planning, rooms are loftier, windows larger to give more light and air, and of course modern cooking, heating, lighting and washing facilities have all made for lightening the work for the housewife and for healthier surroundings.
   Other than Council houses there have been no building estates put up in either Parish, but many houses and 

bungalows have been built privately. As will be seen by the statistics at the beginning of the book, in 34 years the houses have increased more than four-fold while the population is only a little over 1¼ times what it was in 1921. This can he accounted for by the fact that families are now much smaller. In some of the old cottages where perhaps one or two people are living now, families of 10 or 11 persons lived. An example being the "Old Post Office" cottages, The Street, Ash.

Farmhouses
Generally the farmhouses come under the heading of "Interesting Houses," the only change being the replacement of old farm buildings by more modern ones, West Yoke, North Ash and Ash Place are examples. Swan Farm buildings were rebuilt in 1921.
   The only new farmhouse is "Corner Farm House" which was built about 1947 and is owned by Mr. G. Clark as is also the farm and old cottages.
   Ash Place Farm House was originally 2 cottages, these were converted into the present house in 1910 for a Mr. Vincent who rented the farm from the Lambard family and lived at Swanley. It was occupied by Mr Vincent’s Manager. Later the farm and house were taken over by Mr. Tubb. In 1928 the Seath family moved in and the farm was managed by Mr Cyril Seath the eldest son. He is now is possession as tenant of Mrs. Campbell of Melrose, Scotland

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