Architects plans

[Sploing]

Hello all,

I live in an early Victorian cottage built in 1852 and I'm doing my best to maintain as much originality as I can.
I'm wondering if anyone knows where I might find original plans to the house, or even plans for some of the renovations it's undergone over the years.

The house was build by a newly weathly businessman and so probably wasn't architect designed but was split into 2 in about 1907 before being made back into one house in 1958.

I do have a huge pile of documents, conveyances and indentures dating back to 1852 but none of the contain anything more detailed than an outline of the external walls and land.

Any ideas please?

 

[plasticpigeon]

There are a few old pattern books in existance that have plans for buildings that builders used when they weren't employing and architect. I get the impression that a lot of builders used pattern books and tailored the designs to their liking. I don't know beyond that I'm afraid.
Here is a famous one called and "encyclopaedia of cottagve farm and villa architecture" by Loudon.

https://archive.org/details/encyclopdiaofc00loud

 

[JBean]

The original house and the big renovations would have needed planning permission, so if you haven't already done so, check with your local Council to see what they have. In my experience, it's completely hit-and-miss what has been kept and what has been destroyed over the years, but the Council or the local archives may just have something.

 

[malcolm]

There could well be stuff scattered around at the council. I keep meaning to pop into my local records office to see if there is anything there. It won't be online if it is more than 10 years or so old.

The rating valuation guy who visited came armed with a floor plan that I had never seen before. I would guess it was from the 1980s or there about. I ought to have asked where he found it.

 

[livias]

I don't know how consistent councils are around the country, but I went to the records office to see what they had. Answer was ... Enclosures award and map, 1926 Bedfordshire valuation, both of which were very interesting, some street view postcards and Victorian trade directories. At this stage I thought that I had found everything that the council owned until my Conservation Officer suggested that I contact Archaeology who keep a Heritage Record for each property. As it turned out, ours was not very exciting, but ymmv