Pilgrim House
Located opposite Bunyan's Mead, Pilgrim house is architecturally different to most of the buildings in this part of High Street. Whilst most of the properties are timber-framed, Pilgrim House is brick built - all except on the ground floor between it and The Green Corner immediately to the south, with which it shares a timber and lathe and plaster wall.
Before this house was built in 1806, there was a cottage very like The Green corner on the site. It was known as The Chequer and at some point in its history, the residents brewed and sold beer. There are reputed to be three wells under the present house' foundations.
Unlike most of the properties in Elstow, this site was sold very soon after the surrender of the Abbey, so it was never part of the Radcliffe / Hillersden estate and only became part of the Southill Estate in 1871 when its owner died and the property went to auction.
It is not known why the original cottage was demolished and replaced. However, there is what appears to be smoke damage on the northernmost timbers in the roof of The Green Corner, suggesting that The Chequer may have been damaged by fire.
Until about 1910, where the entrance, garage and garden are now, stood two more cottages similar to The Green Corner. John Bunyan's grandfather, Thomas, owned and spent his final years in the cottage that stood where vehicular entrance is now. There is a photo of those old cottages in the Elstow Old - High Street album.
Before this house was built in 1806, there was a cottage very like The Green corner on the site. It was known as The Chequer and at some point in its history, the residents brewed and sold beer. There are reputed to be three wells under the present house' foundations.
Unlike most of the properties in Elstow, this site was sold very soon after the surrender of the Abbey, so it was never part of the Radcliffe / Hillersden estate and only became part of the Southill Estate in 1871 when its owner died and the property went to auction.
It is not known why the original cottage was demolished and replaced. However, there is what appears to be smoke damage on the northernmost timbers in the roof of The Green Corner, suggesting that The Chequer may have been damaged by fire.
Until about 1910, where the entrance, garage and garden are now, stood two more cottages similar to The Green Corner. John Bunyan's grandfather, Thomas, owned and spent his final years in the cottage that stood where vehicular entrance is now. There is a photo of those old cottages in the Elstow Old - High Street album.
8th April 2020 - everything springing into life in the garden of Pilgrim House, around Moot Hall and on the green.
