23-26 Front Street, Preston Village

During the early part of this century, the pebbledashing of old building became fashionable and until recent times these four cottages were indeed encased in cement and stones. However, it is pleasing to see that the owner of two of the have seen fit to remove the rendering to reveal the original stonework beneath. These two buildings are certainly mid-eighteenth century dwellings built probably to house farmworkers and, if we look more closely at number 24, a lintel above the door bears the date which seems to confirm their age. The letters above the date probably represent the initials on the first owners names, as was custom in those days (C- surname, D - man's first name, I - wife's first name).

Of the four cottages, number 24 is perhaps the most interesting, having been for many years a shop and village Post Office. In the first decade of the century Mr W. Pettigrew, who for several years, ran a grocery shop at number 24, became village Postmaster. In about 1918 his wife appears to have taken over from until , in 1924, their daughter Miss M. E. Pettigrew became Postmistress, a position she held for more than 20 years. Up until the 1960's villagers continued to obtain their stamps and groceries over the counter at number 24 before the Post Office at the new Grangeway shopping centre on Preston Grange opened. The powers that be decided that the Preston Village Post Office was no longer necessary so it closed and the building returned to it's original purpose.

East from the four cottages is 27 Front Street, a large double fronted house known as The Mansion House.