127-129 High Street, Blakeney

This property had been a rather ramshackle and rambling eighteenth century 4-bed cottage – actually two smaller cottages knocked together – which still retained its second staircase, albeit sealed out of use. When the property became vacant the decision was taken to restore it to its original configuration as two 2-bed properties as part of a major refurbishment. This has now been done and the tenants are in residence at number 127 and 129 High Street.

The properties share an open terrace at the rear, flanked by sheds and giving on to the garden area, once a single communal space but now divided into separate plots for each of the three cottages in the terrace.

The extensive interior modifications had to be carried out within the constraints of a Grade II listing. During the removal of the redundant chimney stack an old boot was discovered hidden in an inaccessible nook. It was smallish, possibly a child’s boot, and has been dated as ‘probably’ mid eighteenth century. In those days it was common to place an object in new buildings to ward off evil. Such apotropaic items ranged from witch bottles and items of footwear to dead cats – see

www.apotropaios.co.uk/concealed_shoes

for more information. The relic is now in the care of Norfolk Museums Service. A longer write-up can be found in The Glaven Historian 13 published by the Blakeney Area Historical Society.

The properties have now been let.