Poplar Court
There have been a number of buildings on this site over the years. To the left of Poplar Court, Meadway House and Gladstone Cottage remain, but adjacent to Gladstone Cottage was the Cider Mill, where local apple growers could bring their fruit and have it made into cider. The mill closed down in about 1950 and became the Poplars Garage owned by Ted Wheatley. At first the garage was in the Cider Mill building, but Ted had it demolished and built a new bungalow and the garage on the site.
The garage was demolished in the 1980s and Poplar Court was built in its place.
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Between Gladstone Cottage (G) and the Cider Mill (C) was The Alley which led to four of five cottages (A). The cottages were all on the left of the alley but their privies (P) and other outbuildings were on the opposite side. At the end of the alley was a warehouse for electrical goods used by S J Wheatley. Originally this building had been a Reading Room (R) which opened in 1894. The Alley is named on the 1881 census. The cottages were two up, two down and the stairs went up from the living room. One of the outbuildings held an old boiler, and the occupants of the cottages each had a specific day to do their washing and they all got together on one day to boil their Christmas puddings.
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