This is the section of road that runs from the Warren Road crossroads to the crossroads with Bradfield Road. It has only been named Lower Street since about 2018. Until then it had no name and the addresses of the houses were just Lower Street or the Common. It has 12 houses on it, dating from 1800s to the 1980s. It crosses Fox’s beck where once steam traction engines would refill their tanks, householders would collect water and children would play. The beck is home to water rail, jack snipe, kingfishers, otters, and water voles.
Table of Contents
Beck House
Number 6 on the map.
Beck House is shown on the 1784 Henry Biedermann map of Lower Street. It was owned by the Gunton estate. In the Ordnance Survey map of 1884 it is shown as two cottages. It is of flint and brick construction and by the late 1900s its roof had been raised. This is clearly visible in the left hand gable and the added rows of bricks under the roof. The house had, and still has a well in the garden, which supplied water to Beck House and the next-door Beck Cottages.
In 1921 the census shows Arthur Daniels and his wife Ellen living in the house with their young family. Arthur built a wooden outbuilding next to the road in the front garden, for his daughter Marjorie to run as a grocers shop.
The Daniels moved out in 1929. After they left there were a series of tenants,who also carried on the shop until about 1970.
In 1971 the house was bought by Digger and Betty Shaw. It had a lean-to kitchen, no inside bathroom and only a cold-water tap. Betty’s father who was a builder and decorator Cecil Grey, added an extension to the right-hand end for a new kitchen and bathroom above. The windows were also enlarged and bay windows added to the downstairs rooms.
Brookside
Number 1 on the map
Brookside was built in 1974 by Harry and Joyce Durrant. It was built in the garden of Joyces’ mother, Mrs Hewitt. The architect was asked to design a house that had the same layout as their council house in Long Lane so that all their furniture would fit.
Harry and Joyce lived there until their deaths. Joyce died on Christmas day 2018 and is buried with Harry who died in 2011, in St James’s Churchyard. The house was bought by Miriam and John Grey in 2019. They have extended it to the rear.
Bywater
Number 5 on the map
Bywater was built in 1971 on land originally belonging to previous owners of Beck House. It is of brick construction. Foxs’ Beck runs along the front of the property and it looks out across Southrepps Commons. When it was sold in 2008 the owners bought it with the intention of extending and modernising it and then selling it on. This they did, removing the garage and adding a double height extension where the garage had been, turning it from a three to a four bedroomed house. They also changed the windows. It was sold in 2015 to its current owners Janette and Ray Wells.
Salix
No 4 on the map.
Salix is a three-bedroom bungalow of brick construction with three double garages. It was built (possibly the late 60s) by Lenny Burton-Pye, in the garden of the Willows that he owned at the time. It backs onto the Common. For almost forty years it was owned by Gerry Middleton who ran a car repair business from the premises. He built the third garage in 1988. From here he repaired many residents cars. On his death his widow sold the property. This is it standing empty waiting for its new occupants in 2024.
The Willows
Number 3 on the map
The Willows was originally two workers’ cottages of traditional flint and brick construction, the left hand side being about 20 years older than the right. The late Ruby Risebrow lived in one as a child and told the present owner that it was built in about 1830. Certainly the cottages show on the tithe map from that period. The cottages were extended to the back,and converted to one dwelling. The next extension added the modern bathroom. A third addition was of the conservatory to the side. The outside toilet in the time of Ruby was where Salix now stands. She also recounted that they got their water from the beck. The cottage is now a holiday let but is often used by the present owner David Sewell who bought it in 2010.
Welland House
Number 2 on the map
1924 Land sold by William James Bell to Frederick William Knights of Garden farm.
1981 Land sold to Mr and Mrs Dicker as the land was too wet for modern farm machinery.
1982 Flint faced house built by Mr and Mrs Dicker and named Pinkauh.
1992 Bought by Robert and Christine Smith who changed the name to Welland House. They extended the house with a double garage with room above.
1991 Bought by Robert and Carol Bone.
2003 Bought by the present owners John and Margaret Dowland who have further extended the sitting room in 2013 and replaced the dilapidated stables with a cart shed. The house stands in 3 and ¾ acres and has Fox’s Beck running through it.