Felcot Farm is situated in the parish of Horne, lying to the south of the Copthorne Road (A264), which was once just one of many old trackways that led across the Commons from East Grinstead to Crawley, via Felbridge and Copthorne.
This document sets out to try and determine the history and development of the property, its owners and occupiers, and the origin of the name.
Origin of the name Felcot Farm
The name Felcot Farm suggests that it is an ancient name derived from Fel - a cleared area or field, and cott - a cottage. However, the first documented use of the name is not until 1870 when it appears on the Ordnance Survey map of Surrey. By 1911 it was known as Felcot & Forge Farms, and by 1924 the property had dropped 'Forge', being known just as Felcott Farm, today it has lost the second 't', being simply spelt Felcot. For ease and convenience, the name Felcot Farm will be used throughout this document to refer to the cottage and associated land held with the property at the time.
Early history
It has proved extremely difficult to find any early records relating to the property known as Felcot Farm, the property being conspicuous by its absence from early records until the late 1600's. There are several reasons for the absence of early records, the most obvious being the late use of the name - Felcott. It is also apparent from the records that refer to the property that the size of the holding varies throughout its existence, ranging from just 10 rods of land around the cottage (10 rods being one sixteenth of an acre) which was the original enclosure out of Hedgecourt Common, to just short of 23 acres.
The location of Felcot Farm also makes it difficult to trace, being close to the county boundary between Surrey and Sussex. It is also right on the edge of two parishes, Bletchingley and Worth, and to add more complications, in 1704 the parish of Horne, in which Felcot Farm now lies, was formed out of the southern most end of the parish of Bletchingley. The property also originally lay between two heaths or commons, Hedgecourt and Copthorne, being referred to in 1680 in the survey of the bounds of Hedgecourt Heath of the manor of Bletchingley as abutting the Heath on the southwest. Therefore the enclosure in which the house of Felcot Farm stands pre-dates 1680.
The site of Felcot Farm also puts it on the edge of three manors, Hedgecourt and Bletchingley in Surrey, and South Malling - Lindfield in Sussex. However, the latter can be discounted as the Figg map of 1830, accompanied by the survey of tenants of the manor, confirms that Felcot Farm was not part of the manor of South Malling - Lindfield. Having discounted one manor there was still the option of the property being in the manor of Hedgecourt or Bletchingley.
In 1748, the area of Felcot Farm is referred to as 'George Humphrys land' on the Bourd map commissioned by Edward Evelyn, which detailed the extent of his recently acquired manor of Hedgecourt together with the lands that he already held in Felbridge, creating what became known as the Felbridge estate. For Felcot Farm to be referred to as 'George Humphrys land' suggests that it was a freehold property, held outside of the manor of Hedgecourt. Fortunately there is a surviving court book of the freeholders of the manor of Hedgecourt ranging from 1599 to 1803, and the only appearance of George Humphrey in the court book is in 1703 when his property is used as a reference for 'Little Shirleys', which was a freehold property of the manor of Hedgecourt, stating that the two properties abutted. There is no other mention of George Humphrey in this court book, therefore this suggests that Felcot Farm was not part of the manor of Hedgecourt, implying that it must have originally been part of the manor of Bletchingley.
Unfortunately, being a freehold property of any manor means that early histories are notoriously difficult to trace and Felcot Farm, being a freehold property of the manor of Bletchingley, has proved to be no exception. Turning to the documents of the manor of Beltchingley, which are patchy and widely scattered across Britain, there are very few relating to the property that became known as Felcot Farm. Most maps of Bletchingley, both parish and manorial, end well short of the area in which the property is situated, and when people known to have occupied the property are mentioned the location varies, placing it on both Hedgecourt Heath or Common and Copthorne Heath or Common.
To date only one map from the Bletchingley documents refers to the site of Felcot Farm and this is not particularly old. The map was commissioned by Sir Kenrick Clayton in 1761 as a survey of all the cottages on the heaths or commons of Frogwood and Hedgecourt, held by the manor of Bletchingley. In 1761 the land in the area in which Felcot Farm is situated was jointly occupied as part of Mr Masters holding of 20 acres 2 rood 1 perch, with Mr Hayward holding four fields amounting to 5 acres 1 rood 12 perch, now part of Yew Tree Farm abutting Felcot Farm on the north. As part of his twenty and a half acres, Mr Masters also held what became known as Little Hedgecourt Farm (now Hedgecourt House) to the north of the Copthorne Road opposite Dove's Barn, and a portion of Miles Farm, from Sir Kenrick Clayton, together with the remaining portion of Miles Farm (now known Michaelmas Farm) located to the east of Felcot Farm, held as freehold of the manor of South Malling - Lindfield.
It is perhaps appropriate to note here that a speculative theory has been put forward with regards to the area of Hedgecourt Heath or Common on which Felcot Farm, Yew Tree Farm and Miles Farm stand. It has been proposed that this area of Hedgecourt Common was an enclosure or series of enclosures forming a Shanty Town for workers at the furnace in Myllwood, later Warren furnace in Furnace Wood that operated between the mid 1500's and late 1700's [see Handouts, Warren Furnace, SJC 01/00, and Wiremill, SJC 03/06]. It is believed that the Shanty Town was not a settlement as such, but was intended solely as accommodation for furnace workers and that it would not have existed had it not been for the furnace.
However, the survey of cottages on Frogwood and Hedgecourt Heath of the manor of Bletchingley dated 1680 only describes three enclosures; the site of Felcot farmhouse, the rope yard area to the southwest of Rowplatt Lane, now the site of Lyric Cottage, and the site of Yew Tree Farm off Copthorne Road. It is known that the iron industry in the Felbridge area had two phases, the early phase operating from about 1567 before going into decline in the mid 1600's. The second phase began in 1758 when Edward Raby and Alexander Master took over the lease of Woodcock forge, now Wiremill, and Warren furnace, the scant remains of which are located in Furnace Wood, re-opening the furnace that subsequently ran until 1774. If the proposed Shanty Town existed in the early phase it would have been confined to the immediate area of Yew Tree Farm, perhaps expanding when the furnace was re-opened for the second phase [for further information see Handout, Warren Furnace, SJC 01/00]. In 1761 the 'Mr Masters' referred to in the survey of cottages of Hedgecourt and Frogwood Heath was probably Alexander Master, perhaps adding some weight to the theory that the properties on this part of Hedgecourt Common, including Felcot Farm, housed furnace workers for at least the second phase of iron working in the area.
Due to the reasons highlighted above, and not through lack of trawling through old documents, no conclusive information has emerged about the early history of the site of Felcot Farm until 1676, although from architectural details it is obvious that the original part of the house pre-dates this by some considerable time (full details to follow). All that has been established is that the site of the house, has been held as freehold of the manor of Bletchingley from at least 1676, being enclosed from the edge of Hedgecourt Heath or Common where it abutted what was formerly called Myllwood, now known as Furnace Wood.
Structure
The main building is orientated approximately east-west and comprises of three bays 3.8m (12ft 4ins) in width. There is an outshot along the north side of the property extending its width to 6m (19ft 6ins) with a later single storey bay across the whole width of the original property and the outshot at the east end. The south wall has been replaced with brickwork up to the mid rail, and the first floor has a tile hung exterior. The tiled roof is gabled at the west end and half hipped at the east end and there is evidence in the roof and on the rafters that the roof had been thatched previously. The chimney stack is at the west end. A stream is located only a few feet from the western extent of the building.
Frame 0 is a partial frame at the west end of the property. It is made of reused timbers loosely constructed. Much of the frame has been removed with the insertion of the stone and brick chimney stack into the end wall.
Bay 0 is very narrow at 1.1m (3ft 6ins) width. The wall plate on the north side survives although it is badly burnt. The south wall plate also survives and is in better condition. It is not the same timber as the wall plate extending from frame 1 but is a later addition resting upon the wall plate of frame 1. The underside of the south wall plate has no stave holes and is heavily sooted implying that beneath the wall plate was open into the outshot. An upright timber roughly below the current north purlin also survives in this bay. It is positioned about 30cm (1ft) west of frame 1 and has no signs of attachment to that frame. This timber rises considerably above the wall plate of the adjoining bay implying that this separately framed structure extended above the eave height of frame 1.
The chimney stack has been constructed within this bay using sandstone blocks for the bottom 2.4m (7ft 8ins), the upper section being built in bricks 4" x 8¾" x 2". The stack is located to the south of the bay almost against the south wall. Buttresses have been added in the 20th century to support the stack which is tending to lean westwards away from the house. The bressumer of the fireplace is located about 0.3m (1ft) west of frame 1. It has a plain chamfer with run out stops.
A large circular bread oven survives in the north end of the bay with the cooking door pointing into the outshot. The fire door for the bread oven opens into the hearth, thus the oven was heated from below. There are scars in the south wall of the fireplace to show another bread oven or similar structure was located beyond the south wall. Both ovens are constructed with bricks that are 8¾" x 4¼" x 2¾".
Frame 1 marks the original western extent of the building. The lower part of the north wall post is visible and has no peg holes for any mid or lower rails to the west supporting the theory that this is the west end. This wall post also has no visible signs of weathering on the north face and has a single mortice slot for a timber that extended northwards and at an appropriate height to meet the wall plate of an outshot. The current outshot has very few surviving timbers but appears to be reflecting the original design.
At the north end of this frame there are a number of stone foundation blocks upon which the brick bread oven has been constructed. These are in the correct position and elevation to have been the blocks beneath the now removed sole plate. The transverse beam of this frame has been removed but the south upper wall post survives with a cut off length of the tie-beam. The wall plate, wall post and tiebeam are of a normal construction. A small jowl exists but it has been cut back to form a web only 5cm (2ins) deep rather than maintaining the full depth of the wall post. Into the cut back section of the wall post there is a mortice for a curved down brace that would have terminated in the transverse beam.
The roof is a queen strut clasped purlin construction. The panels above and below the collar are infilled with wattle and daub. All of the roof timbers are clean and soot free including the western face of the collar in frame 1 although the wall plates in the adjacent bay 0 are burnt and sooted. This implies that the roof has been replaced after the construction of the chimney.
Bay 1 (between frames 1 and 2) is currently floored with a transverse beam supporting the joists. The transverse beam and joists is an unusual arrangement to be an original floor which would have an axial supporting beam and transverse joists. The location of the transverse beam is also not centrally located between frame 1 and frame 2 being further to the west. It is exactly central to the fireplace bressumer and frame 2, with the bressumer located west of frame 1.
The north mid-rail is visible and has no visible weathering on the north face supporting the theory that the outshot was contemporary to the construction of this bay. Beneath the north mid rail there are two peg holes for wall struts. The underside of the mid-rail is visible at the eastern third of its length and was infilled with studs.
Both the north and south walls have curved down braces from frame 1 onto the mid rail. The timbers above the mid rail are visible on the south side of this bay. The bay is divided reasonably evenly into three panels. There is a scarf joint in the western end of the south wall plate directly above a wall strut. The central strut has a dovetail joint into the wall plate rather than the typical mortice and peg.
Frame 2 has no visible jowls at the top of the wall posts; however the wall posts are poorly visible as they are almost completely enclosed in plaster. The mid-rail survives but the underside is obscured preventing determination of any opening below this beam. There is a large lower transverse rail jointed into the north wall post, this would have prevented a doorway between bays 1 and 2 against the north wall but this rail may have been terminated further south to enable access between the bays. There is evidence of an original vertical post 0.7m (29ins) from the north wall however it is impossible to determine if this terminated into the lower rail or the lower rail terminated at this post.
The tiebeam has a centrally located large peg hole in the upper half of the timber which is now unused. A doorway has been cut through the tiebeam just north of this peg hole. The panel above the tiebeam is again infilled with wattle and daub up to the apex of the rafters.
Bay 2 (between frames 2 and 3), now contains the stairs against the north wall. Beneath the stairs the sole plate is visible beneath the north wall. There is also a lower rail beneath the mid rail, which is joined into the north wall post of frame 2 and is visible only at the western end. The north mid rail and wall plate are visible with the wall divided into three panels above the mid rail. There is a curved down brace at the east end from frame 3 to the mid rail. Above the stairs is the only visible wind-brace which is a straight timber rising from frame 2 to the purlin.
Frame 3 has two curved down braces from the wall posts to the mid rail, the curved braces are faced to the east side of the wall posts. Below the mid rail there are two wall studs and the east side of the mid rail has a plain chamfer on the lower edge. The lower section of the north wall post is visible and is similarly weathered on the east and north faces. It also has no mortice in the north face to extend to or close off the outshot. Therefore the outshot could not have originally extended beyond bay 1.
This frame also contains the cut off end of a mortice for an axial beam extending into bay 2. It is likely that this axial beam supported an original floor in bay 2. The tiebeam has had a doorway cut through it just north of centre. Above the tiebeam the panels are infilled with wattle and daub up to the apex of the rafters.
Bay 3 (between frames 3 and 4), is floored with axial joists. The north mid-rail is visible and has a large number of slots for studs and laths showing that it was infilled. It also has two large diamond mullions towards the eastern end for a window. Above the mid rail on the south wall there are two pegs for wall studs to divide the wall into three panels.
The south wall plate is visible and has a slot for a tiebeam 0.5m (18ins) west of the current position of frame 4. Externally the corresponding wall post can be seen about 20cm (8ins) west of the end wall implying that the tiebeam of frame 4 has been relocated further east than originally constructed.
Frame 4 is of a drop tie construction where the tiebeam is jointed into two struts which are tied into the mid-rail and collar to enable free access to walk through the upper area of the frame. This design came into use in the Weald at the end of the 16th century. The two vertical struts have very crisp chamfers with step and runout stops. These stops were popular in the early 17th century. The chamfers are not present on the eastern (now exterior) face of the struts. A later timber has been inserted just above the tiebeam level and now acts as a window head.
This design of frame is only necessary if it is intended to walk through it. They do appear in end frames but only when the other frames of the building are also of drop tie construction. In this instance it is a single frame of this design. The presence of chamfers on the inside corners also indicates that the space between the two struts was open. The ability to relocate frame 4, 0.5m (18ins) further east without the need to extend the wall plate also implies that the wall plate originally extended for a significant distance beyond frame 4.
Bay 4 has been significantly altered in the 20th century although some light timber framing does survive in the north east corner although it would appear to be 19th century. The eastern wall of this bay is only a few feet from the extent of the freehold enclosure and therefore this would always have been a narrow bay.
Discussion and conclusion
The property would appear to be constructed as a small two-bay dwelling with a single open hall and the other bay floored. The evidence for the original open hall is partly the later insertion of a floor into bay 1 but also that a smoke bay was added to the west end implying that there was no smoke control prior to that addition. The weathering on the east end of frame 3 provides the eastern end of the original build with only a single bay outshot to the north of the open hall. This is a small property 6.5m x 3.8m (21ft x 12ft 4ins) and the most likely date of construction is circa 1500. Much later and it would have undoubtedly been constructed with a smoke bay as part of the original build, much earlier than this and the jowls on the wall posts would have been far more prominent.
It is difficult to determine where the original entrance was to the dwelling. Normally in this style of property it would be either immediately east or west of frame 2 in both the north and south walls. However both sides of frame 2 were closed off by either studs and laths or a lower rail on the north side. There is a potential doorway west of frame 2 in the south wall where a doorway exists today.
The roof has obviously been replaced but it is possible that the evidence for the original roof style survives. Other surviving examples of two-bay dwellings from this period with a single open hall have a single crown post frame in the centre and fully hipped ends. This is supported by the presence of the single larger peg hole in the centre of the tiebeam of frame 2 that could have been for a central crown post. No equivalent peg hole exists in frame 3 which would have been necessary to have a post supporting a collar to give a half hipped roof. Whilst the evidence for an original hipped crown post roof is slim, it would have led to a desire to replace the roof when an end chimney was constructed as there is no adjacent gable end to help support the upper stack.
The addition of a smoke bay was probably made in the mid 1500's but without the intention of flooring the open hall, purely to control the smoke.
The construction of the chimney would have benefited from a gabled roof to provide some support for the upper stack and in this case it seems that the roof was replaced rather than modified. It is noticeable that the roof construction is the same for the entire roof including above bay 3 even though this was not part of the original construction. The chamfer stops in frame 4 may therefore provide the dating evidence that this major refurbishment of the property took place in the first quarter of the 1600's. During this phase of work bay 3 was added and the property also extended beyond frame 4. A possible purpose of the doorway in frame 4 would be the top of a stair access. Other examples in Sussex exist where only the chamber side of a stair doorway are decorated and stair side is left plain. The stairs would have been used to access the chamber in the upper part of bay 3. The flooring of the open hall was also undertaken when the chimney was inserted, the resulting upper chamber could have been accessed by a small stair to the north of the chimney which was a common feature where the stack is located towards one side of the dwelling.
Probably in the latter half of the 18th century, the stairs to the north of the fireplace were replaced by a bread oven. The other opening into the hearth on the south side may have been used for brewing, washing or baking. The east end was modified in the 20th century to insert a window by lowering the roof over bay 4.
Felcot Farm during 17th and 18th centuries
As already established, the area of Felcot Farm was held by George Humphrey in 1748 when the Bourd map was created. The break-through document enabling the history of the Felcot Farm area to be traced from an earlier date comes from a 21-year lease made between Sir Kenrick Clayton of Marden, Baronet, and George Humphrey the elder of Horne, husbandman, on the 1st September 1752. This single document gives the name of the person who had previously leased the land in the area of Felcot Farm as William Blundell and the name of the person who owned the land and the recently purchased house occupied by George Humphrey as Sir Kenrick Clayton (discussed in more detail below), although no older documents have yet come to light with regards to the cottage or its purchase by Sir Kenrick Clayton mentioned in the 1752 lease.
Having established that William Blundell had associations with the property, there is a 99-year lease dated 20th August 1678 in the manorial records of the manor of Bletchingley made between Sir Robert Clayton and his partner John Morris, and William Blundell of Horne, for a 'barne and stall and 4 closes of land amounting to six acres on Hedgecourt Heath, part of the manor of Bletchingley'. This document suggests that the original land held with the house at Felcot Farm was copyhold, and also suggests that the house mentioned as 'recently purchased' must have been the freehold property of William Blundell before George Humphrey, being sold to Sir Kenrick Clayton by George Humphrey. Unfortunately, no documents have yet surfaced with regards to the purchase or sale of the house by George Humphrey. However, it is possible that if George Humphrey took on the lease of the six acres of land with the barn and stall after William Blundell, that perhaps he also purchased the freehold of the house from William Blundell, although no documentary evidence has yet surfaced to verify this possibility.
The Clayton family, lords of the manor of Bletchingley
Sir Robert Clayton was the first Clayton lord of the manor and was born in 1629, the son of John Clayton, a carpenter or joiner of Bulwick in Northamptonshire. By 1648 Robert was an apprentice scrivener with his uncle Robert Abbot in London. A scrivener was someone employed to make copies of documents and manuscripts. Robert Abbot amassed a small fortune during his life time which he left to his nephew Robert Clayton on his death, and Robert also later inherited property in Bletchingley from his brother Thomas on his death. In 1659 Robert married Martha, the daughter and co-heir of Alderman Perient Trotter, a city merchant, Martha being aged just sixteen and Robert thirty. They only had one son, Robert, who sadly died in infancy.
Robert Clayton went on to become a member of both the Scriveners' and Drapers' Companies, was an Alderman of Cordwainer ward between 1670 and 1676, and an Alderman of Cheap between 1676 and 1688. He was knighted in 1671 and in 1672 together with his partner John Morris, purchased the manor of Marden from Mary Gittings, the mistress of the late Sir John Evelyn, shortly after which John Morris released his interest to Sir Robert Clayton. In 1677 Sir Robert Clayton purchased the manor and borough of Bletchingley from the trustees of Lady Mary Mordaunt, a descendent of the Earls of Peterborough who had inherited the manor and borough from the Howard family, Barons of Effingham.
In 1679 Sir Robert Clayton was installed as Lord Mayor of London, and was also a member for the City in parliament between 1678 and 1681. Among other offices Sir Robert Clayton was a director of the Bank of England, vice-president of the London workhouse, president of St Thomas's Hospital, a member of the governing body of Christ Hospital and endowed the Hospital for Seamen at Greenwich. He resided both in London in the house he had built at Old Jewry and at Marden in Godstone, Surrey.
Lady Martha Clayton died in 1705 and Sir Robert died two years later in 1707 at their residence at Marden, a large monument to them being erected in the church of St Mary in Bletchingley. On the death of Sir Robert Clayton, his estates passed to his nephew William Clayton.
Sir William Clayton was born the son of William, brother of Sir Robert Clayton. In December 1703 William married Martha, the daughter of John Kenrick esquire, of Flore in Godstone and Sarah his wife who was the sister of Sir Robert Clayton's wife Martha. William and Martha had at least five children; William born in 1710, Sarah born in 1712, Kenrick born in 1713, Susannah born in 1714 and William born in 1723.
Shortly after inheriting the estates of his uncle Sir Robert Clayton, William was elected MP for Bletchingley in 1715, being made a baronet in 1732. In 1734 Sir William and his eldest surviving son, Sir Kenrick Clayton were both elected and served until their deaths in 1744 and 1769 respectively. On the death of Sir William Clayton, his estates passed to his son Sir Kenrick Clayton.
Sir Kenrick Clayton married Henrietta Marie and they had at least three children; Henrietta Marie born in 1738, Robert born in 1739 and Martha born in 1741. Robert was later elected alongside his father as MP for Bletchingley and succeeded as 2nd baronet on the death of his father in 1744. On the death of Sir Kenrick Clayton his estates passed to his son Sir Robert Clayton.
Sir Robert Clayton served as MP for Bletchingley until his death in 1799, dying childless his cousin William Clayton the son of William of Harleyford in Buckinghamshire, the second son of Sir William Clayton 1st baronet, succeeded as 4th baronet and inherited the remaining Clayton property in Surrey. However, in 1788 Sir Robert Clayton had sold the reversion of the manor and borough of Bletchingley to his maternal cousin John Kenrick (further details to follow) in order to pay off heavy debts, thus ending the Clayton lordship of Bletchingley that had started in 1677.
As lords of the manor of Bletchingley, the Clayton family owned the land on Hedgecourt Common that eventually became Felcot Farm. This land was leased to a series of tenants, and as already established the first documented tenant was William Blundell who had held a barn, stall and about six acres from at least 1676, taking out a 99-year lease in 1678.
William Blundell
The 1678 lease between Sir Robert Clayton and William Blundell was taken out on the three lives of William, his wife Elizabeth and their son John, with the rental for the barn, stall and land amounting to 15/- per annum. Unfortunately there are very few conclusive records that can be directly linked to William Blundell but we know from the lease that William was a labourer of Horne in 1678. Listed only as a labourer would imply that he did not work the land as his main employment, however, the lease included a barn and stall suggesting that William Blundell had agricultural needs. Being that this lease was issued shortly after the closure of the furnace in the mid 1650's, it is possible that William had been employed in the iron industry but due to its closure had sought alternative ways of supporting his family by turning to farming.
William Blundell was married to Elizabeth but unfortunately it has not been possible to determine who Elizabeth was or when either of them were born. The lease also records that they had a son John, but again it has not been possible to determine his birth, although the Horne parish records show that William and Elizabeth also had a daughter called Anne who was born in February 1677.
In 1676 the particulars of the survey of cottages on Frogwood and Hedgecourt Heath held by the manor of Bletchingley record that William Blundell held 'a barne, five outletts of about 6 acres of land' the holding being worth £2, suggesting that William Blundell must have held the property before his lease of 1678. However, by 1678 the description includes a stall implying that it had been constructed sometime between 1676 and 1678. A later survey of the cottages of Frogwood and Hedgecourt Heath in 1690 records that William Blundell was still holding the same property, although it is possible that the occupier's name had not been updated as William had died by 1690.
The land held by William Blundell equates to the following field numbers based on the Horne tithe map of 1841/2:
|
Field |
Name |
Description |
Acreage |
|
821 |
|
Arable |
01. 03. 25 |
|
822 |
|
Meadow |
01. 02. 28 |
|
823 |
|
Meadow |
02. 01. 04 |
|
|
|
Total |
05. 03. 17 |
The barn and stall stood with field no. 823 and Felcot Farmhouse stood in plot no. 828 on the Horne tithe map which amounted to 25 perch, making a total potential holding of 6 acres and 2 perch. It is known that William Blundell held the cottage from before 1680 and appears in a quit rent paying 15/- for the cottage. A quit rent was only payable on freehold property being a small fixed annual rent whose payment released the tenant from manorial services, as such it would appear that William Blundell owned Felcot Farm house as freehold.
Although there are several references to other Blundell's in the Bletchingley records, it has not been possible to link William Blundell to any of them and there is no other conclusive information about him or his family except that Elizabeth Blundell died in 1680, followed six years later by William in 1686.
Evidence that George Humphrey succeeded William Blundell as tenant of the land at Felcot Farm and as freeholder of the cottage has been established above from the lease dated 1st September 1752, which records that George Humphrey leased:
'All that Barn and stall situate and being in and upon a certain common belonging to the Manor of Bletchingly commonly called Hedge Court Heath in the said parish of Horne together with four several closes or parcels of land (now divided into five closes) thereunto belonging formerly taken in and inclosed out of the said common called Hedge Court Heath containing by estimation 6 acres (be the same more or less) And also all that cottage messuage or tenement wherein the said George Humphrys now dwelleth Together with the orchard garden ground and backside thereunto belonging containing about 10 rodds of ground (more or less) which last mentioned cottage messuage or tenement and ten rodds of ground were lately purchased by the said Sir Kenrick Clayton of the said George Humphrys and which are adjoining or near adjoining to the said first mentioned barn stall and premises all which said barn stall lands cottage messuage or tenement and 10 rodds of ground and all and singular the said premises re situate lying and being in the said Parish of Horne and now are in the tenure or occupation of the said George Humphrys Except and always reserved out of this present lease unto the said Sir Kenrick Clayton his heirs and Assigns all and all manner of timber and timberlike trees saplings wavers pollards hollards and other young trees now standing or being or which shall hereafter stand or be during this lease on the said demised premises or any part thereof with free liberty of felling cutting grubbing barking and carrying away the same And also except and always reserved out of this present lease unto the said Sir Kenrick Clayton his heirs and assigns all the game of pheasants patridges and hares together with free liberty of hawking hunting shooting and taking the same'.
The reason that the cottage had been purchased from both George Humphrey and his son George, was because the father of George senior, also called George, had left the cottage to both George his son and George his grandson in his will and as such they both had to be in agreement to sell the cottage. A possible reason for the sale could be that one of the Georges may have needed to raise some capital and in selling the cottage to Sir Kenrick Clayton, from whom they were already leasing six acres of land, they could then lease back the cottage.
An insight into what Felcot Farm was like when in the occupation of George Humphrey can be gained from the description in the lease. The cottage still stood within the original freehold enclosure together with a garden, an orchard and ground to the 'backside' or rear. This enclosure abutted the six acres of land that George leased where the barn and stall had been built. With the issuing of the 1752 lease, Sir Kenrick Clayton reserved the right to fell, cut down, grub-out and remove the bark of any of the trees that were standing on the property and that may grow on the property in the future, this included timber [large trees], saplings, wavers [young tree liable to sway], pollards, hollards [definition not known], and all young trees. Sir Kenrick Clayton also reserved the rights to all the game that might be on the property that included pheasants, partridges and hares, as well as having the right of hawking, hunting and shooting over the property. It would be interesting to know whether the game roaming Hedgecourt Common in the 18th century actually included hare or whether it was merely a generic list of game that appeared in the clauses of the leased property held by the manor of Bletchingley.
The Humphrey family
Like the Blundell family, there is very little conclusive information on the Humphrey family, generally due to the fact that the parish records for Horne have a large section missing around the date that the Humphrey family occupied Felcot Farm. The first George Humphrey to be associated with Felcot Farm in 1680 died in 1706, but it has not yet been possible to determine his date of birth. However, from his will made in 1700, it is known that George's wife was called Mary and that they had at least three children, a son George, and two daughters, Mary and one un-named. Their daughter Mary married William Parker of Balcombe, and they had at least four children one called Ann born before 1700. The un-named daughter of George Humphrey and Mary married John Garrett and they had two children, John and Ann, both born before 1700. Son George can be found 'of Horne' in 1690 and his wife was called Elizabeth, and they had at least three children, George, John and Jane, all born before 1700.
It is known that the cottage and its immediate garden and enclosure of Felcot Farm had originally been a freehold property because in 1704 it was recorded that 'William Blundell now George Humphrey' [inserted in a later hand] paid 15/- quit rent for it to the lord of the manor of Bletchingley. The property is also described as 'my freehold property in Horne' by George Humphrey in his will proved in 1706, when he bequeathed it jointly to his son George with the request that it passed to his son George after his death.
After the death of George Humphrey in 1706, his son George acquired the freehold cottage and took over the lease of the land of Felcot Farm and it is this George who is referred to on the Bourd map of 1748. It is also this George, together with his son George, who sold the cottage to Sir Kenrick Clayton between 1749 and 1751. Although no documents survive, it is known that the sale took place between these two years because George paid £3 for the past four years quit rent in 1749 and by 1751, Sir Kenrick was described as having 'recently purchased' the cottage.
George Humphrey died in 1754 and Felcot Farm, by then a copyhold property consisting of a cottage and garden and six acres of land, remained within the Humphrey family, the lease being renewed in 1783 by Matthew Humphrey for a further twenty-one years. Matthew was born about 1743 and married Elizabeth Allen in Horne in 1765. They had two children, Matthew and Mark, both baptised at Horne in 1782. Matthew Humphrey senior died in 1808 and was buried at Horne church.
Unfortunately it has not yet been possible to determine the relationship between any of the Georges and Matthew Humphrey, but from the Horne Land Tax it is known that Matthew Humphrey held Felcot Farm until 1797 when he was succeeded by William Borer. As established above, in 1788, during the time that Matthew Humphrey occupied Felcot Farm, Sir Robert Clayton sold the manor of Bletchingley which included Felcot Farm, to his maternal cousin John Kenrick, and as such the property remained with the Kenrick family until 1876 (further details to follow).
The Borer family
The most likely candidate for William Borer who succeeded Matthew Humphrey, was the son of William and Elizabeth Borer of Godstone, who was born on 1st March 1722. It would appear that William and his wife, also Elizabeth, had at least five children; Hannah born in 1749, Mary born in 1759, Thomas born in 1762, Joel born in 1770 and Elizabeth born in 1773. In 1814, probably on the death of William Borer who would have been aged ninety-two, Joel Borer is recorded as paying the land tax on Felcot Farm until the end of the records in 1832. However, by 1841 Joel Borer and his family had moved from Felcot Farm and were living at the cottage now known as Lake Cottage, to the north of the Copthorne Road on the southern bank of Hedgecourt Lake [for further details see Handout Rope Making in Felbridge SJC 03/05]. The census records Joel Borer as a farmer, and living with him was his wife Catherine aged about fifty-five and a son Thomas, aged fourteen. At this date, the Horne tithe records John Saunders as the occupier of Felcot Farm, although he was actually living at Hedgecourt Mill Cottage and was sub-letting Felcot Farm to Phillip Sayers (further details to follow).
The Kenrick family
According to the Kenrick pedigree from Bletchingley by U Lambert and supplementary dates from the IGI, John Kenrick was born in 1734 the son of Matthew and Elizabeth, the daughter of George Wilcocks, Matthew being one of six sons of John Kenrick of Flore, Godstone in Surrey and his wife Sarah, the daughter of Perient Trotter. John Kenrick married Sarah Gifford and had one son born in 1770 who sadly died in 1796. In 1780 John was MP for Bletchingley and died in 1799. On his death Bletchingley passed to his brother Rev. Matthew Kenrick LL. D of Bletchingley.
Rev Matthew Kenrick was born in 1736 and never married. He held the manor and borough of Bletchingley until 1803 when it passed to a third brother Rev Jarvis Kendrick on his death.
Rev Jarvis Kenrick was born in 1737 and married Dorothy, the daughter of William Seward, in 1772. Jarvis and Dorothy had at least three children, William born in 1774, Jarvis born in 1775, and Elizabeth, date of birth not known. Jarvis senior was vicar of Chilham in Kent at the time of acquiring Bletchingley and held the manor and borough until his death in 1809, when it passed to his son also, Rev Jarvis Kenrick.
Rev Jarvis Kenrick, son of Rev Jarvis Kenrick, became rector of Bletchingley in 1803. Rev Jarvis Kenrick never married and in 1816, sold both the manor and borough of Bletchingley to Matthew Russell, of London, for the sum of £6,000. However, from later documents, the area of Hedgecourt Heath, as described in the 1680 survey, was acquired by his brother William.
William Kenrick married Frances Ann, the daughter and co-heir of Robert Mascall in 1815, and they had at least four children; Frances born in Broome in Surrey in 1820, William Mascall born in November 1820, Jane born in 1823 and Anne born in 1826, the last three children born in Betchworth in Surrey. William Kenrick was Recorder for North Wales and on his death in 1829, his property, including the area of Hedgecourt Heath formerly part of the manor of Bletchingley, passed to his wife for the remainder of her natural life. On her death in 1871 aged seventy-seven years, the property including Felcot Farm, passed to her son William Mascall Kenrick.
Felcot Farm during 19th and 20th centuries
In 1875, land in Surrey amounting to 545 acres and 2 roods held by William Mascall Kenrick of Ridgemount, Bournemouth in Hampshire, was put up for auction in 15 Lots, Felcot Farm forming part of Lot 10. On the 1st March 1876, Charles Henry Gatty of the Felbridge estate purchased from William Mascall Kenrick, 43 acres and 9 perch of land on Hedgecourt Common in the parish of Horne, which included Felcot Farm, for the sum of £3,000 (further details to follow).
As already established, the property was not called Felcot Farm until the 1870 Ordnance Survey map, and although the name also appears on the 1879 and 1898 Ordnance Survey maps, the Horne tithe map and apportionment of 1841/2, and census records between 1841 and 1901 simply refer to the property as either a cottage or just one of several properties at Hedgecourt.
In 1841/2 the Horne tithe and apportionment records that Felcot Farm, consisting of the enclosure with the house and the six acres of land, formed part of a holding referred to as the 'Devises of William Kenrick' in the occupation of John Saunders, which comprised of:
|
Field |
Name |
Description |
Acreage |
|
795 |
|
Arable |
01. 02. 00 |
|
796 |
|
Arable |
00. 03. 00 |
|
797 |
|
Arable |
02. 00. 32 |
|
798 |
|
Arable |
02. 01. 08 |
|
799 |
|
Arable |
01. 00. 14 |
|
800 |
|
Arable |
06. 02. 08 |
|
821 |
|
Arable |
01. 03. 25 |
|
822 |
|
Meadow |
01. 02. 28 |
|
823 |
|
Meadow |
02. 01. 04 |
|
825 |
|
Arable |
00. 02. 36 |
|
826 |
|
Arable |
00. 01. 15 |
|
827 |
|
Arable |
00. 01. 15 |
|
828 |
|
Cottage and garden |
00. 00. 25 |
|
|
|
Total |
21. 03. 00 |
By this date the barn, which is clearly drawn on the map, had become part of the enclosure including the house, and the original holding had grown from just six acres to nearly twenty two acres. Of the twenty two acres, field nos. 822 and 823 (part of the original holding), were the only fields used as meadow and equated to about 18% of the land usage, the other original field no. 821 together with the remaining fields were being farmed as arable and accounted for about 80% of the land usage. The remaining 2% of the land was occupied by the house and garden, the yard area with the barn and stall and a roadway leading north to Copthorne Road.
Although the Horne tithe lists John Saunders as the occupier of Felcot Farm, the census records of 1841 list John Saunders and family as living in Hedgecourt Mill Cottage, along with five servants, including Jane, William and Hezekiah Gorringe aged twenty-five, fifteen and twenty-one respectively, Jane Collins and Thomas Fuller. Unfortunately, the sequence of census details in the vicinity of Felcot Farm record more households than can be allocated to Yew Tree Farm and Felcot Farm, which are known to have been the only two properties, this would suggest that they were not occupied as single dwellings implying that one or both must have been divided into two households by 1841.
From later records it is known that the Belton family was occupying Yew Tree Farm, the property formerly held by John Hayward in 1761, and in the 1841 census a Belton household was followed by three more households in the area. The heads of these three households were, Thomas Stone aged forty-five, Hezekiah Gorringe aged fifty-seven, and Phillip Sayers aged eighty-eight. From the 1861 census, it would appear that Stephen Belton and Stephen Buckland were recorded as the heads of two households occupying Yew Tree Farm. If this was the case, Stephen Belton and Thomas Stone occupied Yew Tree Farm and Hezekiah Gorringe and Phillip Sayers occupied Felcot Farm in 1841. This theory is backed up by the 1876 sale agreement between William Kenrick and Charles Gatty, as the occupier of Yew Tree Farm was listed as Stephen Belton and the occupier of Felcot Farm was listed as Thomas Gorringe (further details on the Gorringe family follow later). This would suggest that it was likely that the Gorringe family were residing at Felcot Farm in 1841, along with Phillip Sayers. Having determined from the Horne tithe that John Saunders held Felcot Farm in 1841and that he was living at Hedgecourt Mill Cottage, he may well have been sub-letting Felcot Farm.
John Saunders
John Saunders was born in 1803 in East Grinstead, the son of John and Anne Saunders. John and Anne had at least six other children; Anne born in 1801, William born in 1808, Amelia born in 1811, a male child whose name began with C born in 1812, James born in 1814 and Henry born in 1816, all in East Grinstead.
As already established, in 1841 John Saunders and his family were living at Hedgecourt Mill Cottage, John recorded as a miller. Living with him was his wife Harriet and four of their eventual nine children, including, William Borer Saunders born in 1836, Anna Borer Saunders born in 1837, John Stone Saunders born in 1839 and Henry Saunders born in 1840. The later five children include, Harriett born in 1842, Thomas born in 1844, James born in 1846, Mary Jane born about 1848 and Ann Eliza born about 1850. There is some speculation that Harriet had family connections with the Borer family that occupied Felcot Farm from 1797 until sometime around 1841 as her first two children were given Borer as a middle name, although unfortunately it has not yet been possible to determine the exact relationship.
The Saunders were a prominent Felbridge family that owned or leased several parcels of land in the Felbridge area. Thomas and Jane Saunders ran the Star Inn for many years [for further details see Handout, The Eating and Drinking establishments of Felbridge Part II, JIC/SJC 03/08] and others held the tenures of Tilkhurst Farm and land at Gullege in East Grinstead [for further details see Handout, Gullege SJC 03/02]. It is known that John Saunders succeeded John Stone as miller at Hedgecourt Mill in the mid 1830's, and in 1838 succeeded James Jenner as miller at Wiremill, and in 1839 John Saunders was recorded as holding the mill pond, cottages, gardens and pasture of Hedgecourt Mill, held of the Earl of Liverpool as part of the Felbridge estate [for further details see Handout, Hedgecourt Mill cottages, SJC 07/04].
As well as holding Wiremill, Hedgecourt Mill and Mill Cottage, John Saunders also held the mill at Furnace Lake in Furnace Wood by 1850 (the redundant furnace mill), thereby controlling the majority of the milling in the Felbridge area. However, by 1851 Thomas Brand had succeeded John at Wiremill, although he still held the mill at Hedgecourt and had acquired forty-five acres of land in Godstone that he was farming.
In 1861, John Saunders and his family were recorded as living at Sayers Farm, having left Hedgecourt Mill Cottage that was by then in the occupation of John Tully Comber a journeyman miller. Although the Saunders's family had left Hedgecourt Mill Cottage, John's son William was listed as a miller in 1861 implying that he worked one of the mills in the area. In 1861 John was recorded as a farmer of thirty acres and living in his household at Sayers Farm was John Quickenden aged thirteen, listed as a servant employed as a groom and cow boy, implying that Sayers Farm was run as a dairy farm. From the location of Sayers Farm in the sequence of census details the property equates to being Felcot Farm, perhaps taking its name Phillip Sayers who was occupying the property in 1841.
By 1871 the name Sayers Farm had been replaced by the name Felcot Farm as it had appeared on the Ordnance Survey map in 1870, and John and Harriet Saunders were no longer living at Felcot Farm, having been succeeded by Thomas Gorringe.
Sub-tenants of John Saunders at Felcot Farm
Phillip Sayers was recorded as occupying Felcot Farm in 1841, although the Horne tithe records the property held of William Kenrick by John Saunders. Phillip Sayers was born about 1753 and married Elizabeth Sergeant in 1806 in Worth, Sussex. Unfortunately few other details can be found on Phillip or Elizabeth, except Elizabeth does not appear in the 1841 census implying that she may have died by then. In 1841 Phillip was recorded as a labourer aged eighty-eight having been born out of the county of Surrey. Living with Phillip in 1841 was William Beasley, aged twenty-five recorded as a traveller.
Phillip died in the first quarter of 1847 aged ninety-four, and from the 1851 census Felcot Farm was then in the occupation of George Gorringe and his family. Lodging with the Gorringe family were Thomas Stone and his wife Ann, who had been living at Yew Tree Farm in 1841.
The Gorringe family
Hezekiah Gorringe is the first Gorringe to have documented associations with Felcot Farm in the 1841 census. Hezekiah was born about 1784 in Godstone, the son of James Gorringe and his wife Amy née Tayler. James married Amy on 2nd October 1772, and had at least six other children; John born in 1775, Elizabeth born in 1778, Anne born in 1782, Samuel born in 1787, Phebe born in 1789, and Thomas born in 1792, all the children christened in East Grinstead except Hezekiah who was christened in Godstone.
Hezekiah married Jane Tidy on 19th October 1807 in Horne and they had at least eight children including; Mary born in 1808, Thomas born 1811, James, born in 1814, Jane born in 1816, William born 1818, John born in 1821, a second James born in 1823 (presumably the first James died in infancy), and Hezekiah born in 1827. As already established, Jane, William and Hezekiah were all servants living in the household of John Saunders at Hedgecourt Mill Cottage in 1841.
In 1841, Hezekiah was listed as an agricultural labourer but was not occupying Felcot Farm in 1851, when George Gorridge [Gorringe] was listed as occupying the property. Unfortunately Hezekiah cannot he be found in the census records of 1851, but being that he was fifty-seven in 1841 he may have died by 1851.
George Gorringe was born about 1816 in Worth, the son of Thomas and Katherine Gorringe, Thomas being the brother of Hezekiah Gorringe. In 1841 George Gorringe was listed as a miller living with his wife Elizabeth and family next to Horne church, but by 1851 they had moved to Felcot Farm, George still working as a miller.
In 1851, George and Elizabeth Gorringe had six children living with them; William born about 1839, George born about 1841, James born about 1844, Edgar born about 1847, Sarah born about 1849 and John born in 1851. Lodging with the Gorringe family at Felcot Farm were Thomas and Ann Stone who had been living with Stephen Belton at Yew Tree Farm in 1841.
Sometime between 1859 and 1861, George Gorringe and his family moved to Bolney in Sussex, as the Gorringe family is recorded as living at Stables Houses, Bolney, in 1861, George still working as a miller. By 1861, the Gorringe family had grown to nine children with the addition of Thomas born about 1854, Alice born about 1856 and Henry born about 1859, all born in Horne. With the departure of the Gorringe family, Felcot Farm was in the occupation of John Saunders in 1861, but by 1871 Thomas Gorringe had succeeded John Saunders at Felcot Farm.
Thomas Gorringe was born on 1st March 1811, being the eldest son of Hezekiah and Jane Gorringe (see above). In 1841 Thomas was living next to Halsford House on East Grinstead Common with his wife Harriet and two daughters, Mary born about 1835 and Ann born in 1836. By 1851 this Gorringe family had moved next to Ann Potter, blacksmith, at Snow Hill, being recorded as a farmer of five acres, and were still there in 1861. Also living with Thomas and Harriet in 1861 was their daughter Ann and her husband Edward Holman, whom she had married around 1858, and their son Frederick born about 1859, Edward working as a bricklayer.
By 1871, Thomas Gorringe had moved to Felcot Farm where he was described as a farmer of twenty acres. Harriet was not recorded in the census entry for Felcot Farm, but Thomas was not listed as a widower either. Also living at Felcot Farm was Thomas's daughter Ann with her husband Edward Holman and five of their children; Frank born about 1862, Mary J born about 1864, Walter H born about 1866, Ellen Harriet born about 1868 and Arthur E born about 1870. Also living in the household was James Payne, Thomas Gorringe's nephew who was recorded as an imbecile, working as an agricultural labourer.
It was during Thomas Gorringe's occupation, on the 1st March 1876, that Felcot Farm was purchased as part of 43 acres 9 perch of land on Hedgecourt Common by Charles Henry Gatty of the Felbridge estate from William Mascall Kenrick [for further details on Charles Henry Gatty see Handout, Dr Charles Henry Gatty, SJC 11/03]. The property purchased by Charles Gatty was listed as four separate holdings being described as, 'All and singular the freehold messuages, tenements, farms, closes or parcels of land', all in the parish of Horne, and consisted of Felcot Farm; the area that has now become Hedgecourt House to the north of Copthorne Road, in the occupation of Henry Pattenden; a cottage in one acre of land that now forms the site of nos. 103 and 105, Copthorne Road, in the occupation of John Birch (an umbrella repairer); and the area that has now become known as Yew Tree Farm to the south of Copthorne Road, in the occupation of Stephen Belton.
|
Field |
Name |
Description |
Acreage |
|
795 |
|
Arable |
01. 02. 00 |
|
796 |
|
Arable |
00. 03. 00 |
|
797 |
|
Arable |
02. 00. 32 |
|
798 |
|
Arable |
02. 01. 08 |
|
799 |
|
Arable |
01. 00. 14 |
|
800 |
|
Arable |
01. 02. 08 |
|
821 |
|
Meadow |
01. 03. 25 |
|
822 |
|
Meadow |
01. 02. 28 |
|
823 |
|
Meadow |
02. 01. 04 |
|
825 |
|
Arable |
00. 02. 36 |
|
826 |
|
Arable |
00. 01. 15 |
|
827 |
|
Arable |
00. 01. 05 |
|
828 |
|
Cottage and garden |
00. 00. 25 |
|
|
|
Total |
16. 03. 00 |
From the schedule attached to the sale documents, field no. 800 had been divided since the 1841 tithe and reduced from 6a 2r 8p to 1a 2r 8p, and the land usage of Felcot Farm had also altered. In 1876, 34% of the land was being used as meadow compared to 18% in 1841, and 64% of the land was turned over to arable compared to 80%, suggesting that the farm had reduced its cereal crops in favour of the introduction of some livestock.
In 1881 Thomas Gorringe was still living at Felcot Farm with his daughter Ann and son-in-law Edward whose family had increased with the addition of Emily A and Alfred J, both born about 1872. By this date, Frank, who was also recorded as an imbecile, was helping his aged grandfather run the farm. However, by 1891 Thomas and Harriet Gorringe had both died leaving Edward Holman as head of the household at Felcot Farm. Frank and Alfred were still living at Felcot Farm, along with Emily and her husband James Conquest whom she had married in 1890, along with their daughter Grace who was just one month old. The census records that James Conquest was a game keeper, no doubt operating in Furnace Wood which is known to have been one of the Felbridge estate's rearing grounds. As a point of interest, in 1892 Ann and Edward's daughter Ellen married Allen Bingham, the son of Henry Bingham the bailiff of the Felbridge estate, and later accompanied her husband on a trip to America that he chronicled in a diary [for further details and a complete transcript of the diary see Handout, Bingham Family of Felbridge, SJC 01/05].
Sometime between 1891 and 1901, Edward and Ann Holman left Felcot Farm being succeeded by Horace Whyte.
Horace Whyte was born about 1877 in East Grinstead, the son of James Whyte and his wife Eliza née Humphrey. James and Eliza had at least another six or seven children including; William born in 1866, James born about 1870, William born about 1871, possibly Amos and/or Annie Florence christened in 1874, Frances Mary born about 1880, and Lilly Ellen born about 1886. In 1891, James Whyte's family were living at 51, Lingfield Road in East Grinstead, James senior working as a dairyman, William was listed as a painter and Horace as a milkman.
In 1901 Horace Whyte and his wife Mary, aged twenty-one, together with their son Arthur, aged one year, were living at Felcot Farm. The census records Horace's occupation as 'milking cattle' implying that Felcot Farm was being run as a dairy farm. However, by 1911, when Felcot Farm was put up for auction by the East Grinstead Estate Company as part of the break-up and sale of the Felbridge Place Estate, the tenancy was in the hands of James White, either Horace's father or brother.
In the auction of the Felbridge Place Estate of 1911, Felcot Farm was put up for sale as Lot 24, 'An Excellent Small Holding of about 15a 1r 37p known as Felcot & Forge Farms', the holding being described as:
A Comfortable Old-Fashioned Farmhouse
Brick-built with tiled roof, containing 3 Bedrooms, Sitting Room, Living Room with range,
2 Wash-Houses fitted with brick oven and copper, Wood-House, outside E.C.
Well of water with pump to house.
Nice Garden.
The Buildings
Include timber and tiled Stabling for 2 or 3 horses, Cart Lodge, timber and corrugated iron Cow
Lodge (paved) for 8 cows, and Piggeries.
Schedule
|
Field |
Name |
Description |
Acreage |
|
|
|
Parish of Horne |
|
|
691 |
|
Pasture |
2.791 |
|
692 |
|
Pasture |
2.639 |
|
693 |
|
Rough Grass |
0.368 |
|
694 |
|
Rough Grass |
1.791 |
|
704 |
|
Occupation road |
0.314 |
|
705 |
|
Pasture |
1.581 |
|
706 |
|
Pasture |
2.006 |
|
725 |
|
Pasture |
2.163 |
|
726 |
|
House, buildings etc. |
0.376 |
|
727 |
|
Pasture |
0.577 |
|
728 |
|
Pasture |
0.878 |
|
|
|
Total |
15.484 |
In 1911 the property was accessed off the Copthorne Road and all the field numbers had altered since the tithe of 1841. From the schedule it is apparent that the land usage has changed dramatically since 1876 with no land turned over to arable, nearly 82% of the land turned over to pasture and 14% of the land left as rough pasture. This profile of land usage is indicative of a farm being used solely as a dairy farm.
On 19th January 1912, Felcot Farm was sold to Richard and Edwin George Wilding of Yew Tree Farm, Felbridge, for the sum of £650.00.
The Wildings
Richard Wilding was born on 2nd August 1842 in Preston, Lancashire, the son of George and Ann, George being a cotton manufacturer. George and Ann had at least six other children; Eleanor Pilkington born in 1843, William Henry born in 1846, Isabella born in 1849, John George born in 1851, James born in 1854 and Anne born in 1858.
Richard followed his father into the cotton business and in 1861 was working as a cotton inspector and by 1871 a cotton manufacturer. Richard married Elizabeth Hannah Parnaby, the daughter of John and Martha Parnaby of Bradford in Yorkshire, around 1870. Richard and Elizabeth had at least four children; Edwin George born about 1873, Percy Parnaby born about 1874, Emily E born about 1875 and Herbert R born about 1880.
In 1871 and 1881 Richard Wilding and his family were living at 2, St Georges Terrace, Preston, and at the later date, he was recorded as employing 377 adults and 147 children in his cotton mill. By 1891 the Wilding family had moved to Brookvale in Fulwood, Preston, but by 1901 Richard, his wife Elizabeth and daughter Emily had moved south to 6, Highland Road, Bromley, Kent, Richard still listed as a cotton manufacturer.
At least two of Richard's sons followed him into the cotton business, joining as apprentice cotton manufacturers. Although Richard and Elizabeth had moved south by 1901, Edwin and Percy remained in Preston, probably working in their father's cotton business. Edwin was working as a cotton cloth salesman and boarding at 19, Victoria Road, Fulwood, whilst Percy was working as a cotton cloth designer, and he and his wife Annie were living at 4, Garstang Road, Fulwood.
In 1905, Richard's wife Elizabeth died and in 1911 Richard and his son Edwin, who never married, purchased Yew Tree Farm in Felbridge, which had also been put up for sale as part of the Felbridge Place Estate, and were living there on their purchase of Felcot Farm in 1912. They did not reside at Felcot Farm but leased it to George William Dean who moved down from Lancashire with his wife and family in January 1912.
George William Dean was born about 1874 in Liverpool, the son of George Henry and Lavinia Victoria Dean. George Henry and Lavinia had at least four other children; Lavinia Georgina Denman born in 1871, John Henry born in 1874, Ethel Isabelle born in 1876, and Beatrice Evelyn born in 1879. George William Dean married Sarah Agnes Chapman in 1896 in Clitheroe, and in 1901 he was working as a coal merchant. George and Sarah had at least five children; Joseph born about 1897, James born in 1899, Mary Ann born in 1901, Mildred born in 1903 and Gilbert born in 1906. The last four children attended Felbridge School from the spring of 1912 until the autumn of 1913 when the family left the village.
The Wilding's owned Felcot Farm for a further three years after the departure of the Dean family although it has not yet been possible to determine who was living at Felcot Farm after they left. However, on 12th September 1916, the property was sold to Mrs Laura Letitia Milne Smith, for the sum £575.00, the proceeds being equally divided between Richard and Edwin.
Laura Letitia Smith was the wife of Arthur James Milne Smith, gentleman, who had been born in 1882 in Manchester. Arthur was the son of Charles William and Elizabeth A Smith, Charles working in the cotton industry as a canvas hose pipe weaver and later a cotton weaver, whilst Elizabeth was listed as a silk winder. Charles and Elizabeth had three other children besides Arthur; Ruth born in 1880, Charles Albert born in 1884 and Violet Charlotta born in 1889.
At the time of purchasing Felcot Farm in 1916, the Smith's lived at Edgehill, Peek Hill, Sydenham in Kent, however, by 1918, Laura Smith was living at Laurel Cottage, Fox Hill, Upper Norwood in Surrey. In 1920 Arthur Smith took out a patent for improvements to pneumatic tyres suggesting that he may have worked in either the rubber industry or the car industry.
Although Laura Smith purchased Felcot Farm in 1916, it would appear that the property was occupied by her brother-in-law Charles Smith and his wife and children, Irene and Phyllis, together with Laura's sister-in-law Violet and her husband Richard Garner and son Lionel A H R Garner, as the children are recorded as attending Felbridge School and living at Felcot Farm until July 1917 when both families moved back to Preston. Shortly after this, Laura sold Felcot Farm, including the house, outbuildings and land amounting to 15.484 acres to Alexander Samuel Cadley for the sum of £875.00, a fairly substantial increase of £300.00 in four years.
Alexander Samuel Cadley was born on 11th July 1883, the son of Samuel John Cadley and his wife, Stella née Wise. Samuel and Stella had one other child, William born in 1884. In 1891 the Cadley family were living at 23, Kilmains Road, Fulham, Samuel working as a carpenter. Unfortunately, Samuel died in 1899 aged just fifty-five. By 1901 Stella was employed as a cook and the family still resided at 23, Kilmains Road, Alexander working as a sign writer painter and William as a paper hanger.
In 1909, Alexander married Elsie Emily Louisa Prudden at Cuckfield in Sussex, the daughter of Edward Prudden and his wife née Eynstone. Elsie was one of at least four children of Edward and Emily that included; Frank born about 1879, Ernest born about 1880, Elsie born on 6th July 1882 and Ethel born in 1890. In 1891 the Prudden family were living at Rayment Stables, 258, North End Road, Fulham, where Edward worked as a groom and stableman.
At the time of purchase of Felcot Farm by Alexander Cadley in 1916, he and his wife Elsie were living at 26, Parsons Green, Lane, Upper Norwood in Surrey, Alexander listed as a builder. On 2nd April 1919, the Cadley's increased their acreage of Felcot Farm with the purchase of 2½ acres, being a parcel of Furnace Wood, abutting the property. At the time of purchase, made incidentally by Elsie, the couple gave their address as Fulham, suggesting that perhaps Felcot Farm was either a weekend retreat or was being leased out. On the 12th June 1919, Alexander purchased a further 5½ acres, field nos. 695 and 703 on the Ordnance Survey map, for the sum of £140.00, increasing the size of Felcot Farm to just over 22 acres.
On 28th February 1923, the Cadley's sold Felcot Farm to George Osborn B Ballard for the sum of £1,000. Alexander and Elsie moved to a house in London Road, East Grinstead, which they named Felcott, and by 1926 had opened the Felbridge Garage at the Star Junction that Alexander owned until the early 1930's. At some date, not yet established, Alexander also bought and developed the site of Exton Court, now the site of Arkendale, part of Whittington College, which he sold to Mr C Fessas of Rowplatt Lane, in 1928.
George Osborn B Ballard was born in the spring of 1875 in Chichester. George married Emily Minnie Prior in 1898, who had been born in 1876. At the time of purchase of Felcot Farm in 1923, George was living at 18, Wigmore Road, Broadwater, Worthing in Sussex, being listed as a gentleman. However, he only held the property for just over five months before he sold Felcot Farm, amounting to 15½ acres, to Mrs Raphaelle Mary Anne Major for the sum of £1,500, an increase in value of £500 in five months.
Raphaelle Mary Anne Major was the wife of Albert William James Major, and at the time of purchase in 1923, the Major's were living at Old Fort Road, Shoreham in Sussex. Albert was born about 1869, the son of Albert and Susannah Jane Major, Albert senior being a naval pensioner. Again, Felcot Farm was only held for a short time, being put up for auction on 19th June 1924.
The auction catalogue described the property as a 'Desirable Freehold Holding known as Felcott Farm, Felbridge, East Grinstead, comprising an Old Fashioned Farm House with oak beams and studding and old chimney corner, Farm Buildings and about 20½ acres of Pasture and Woodland', the property put up for auction in three Lots:
Lot 1
The Attractive and Desirable
Freehold Holding
Known as
Fellcott Farm
Felbridge, East Grinstead,
Situated in a rural position about 1 ½ miles (by footpath) from Grange Road Station and about the same distance from Felbridge Church and Post Office.
The old fashioned Market Town of East Grinstead is about 2 ½ miles distant.
The Omnibuses pass the property, their routes traversing widely the beautiful Country surrounding this favourite district.
The Old Fashioned Farm House
Is brick, weather boarded, built with tiled roof and contains the following accommodation.
On the Ground floor:
Hall, 11ft 4in x 10ftft 9in fitted with attractive stove and 2 cupboards.
Excellent Dining Room, 12ft 6in x 16ft 2in, into old chimney corner with open grate and old iron fire back, oak beamed ceiling and door leading to garden.
Cosy Sitting Room, 12ft 6in x 18ft 6in into recess, with modern stove, oak beamed ceiling and studding, also door leading to garden.
Bath Room fitted with (h. and c.) supplies, E.C. adjoining.
Kitchen and Scullery combined, fitted with modern range, copper, sink and dresser.
Dairy fitted with shelves.
On the First floor:
Landing, 10ft 9in x 9ft, suitable for a bedroom.
Bedroom, 13ft 7in x 10ft, with oak studding and cupboard in roof.
Bedroom, 13ft 8in x 11ft 9in fitted with register stove, 2 cupboards, oak studding and floor.
Bedroom, 13ft x 13ft 7in into bay, fitted with anthracite stove.
Telephone connected. Cesspool Drainage.
Water is pumped from a well to a large tank in roof.
Outbuildings
Large lean-to Store Room adjoining House. Outside E.C.
The Farm Buildings
comprise
Timber and tiled range of 2 Piggeries.
Small timber built Garage.
Timber built and galvanised iron covered Shed for 8 cows with loft over and cooling room adjoining.
Large galvanised iron built Store Shed with 2 open Carts Sheds adjoining.
Lean-to Greenhouse.
Timber and tiled Cowshed for 2 cows and 2 stall Stable adjoining.
Timber and tiled Fodder Room.
Also
About 15½ acres
of
Pasture and Woodland
As described in the schedule hereto.
The lot has a valuable frontage of about 360ft to the main East Grinstead and Crawley Down Road and is suitable for a small Dairy or Poultry Farm.
Vacant possession on completion of purchase.
Lot 2
comprises
A Valuable Enclosure of Pasture Land
having an area of
about 2 acres, 3 roods, 7 perches,
as described in the Schedule.
The property has a valuable frontage to the main East Grinstead and Crawley Down Road of about 425ft and is suitable for a Small Holding.
Vacant possession on completion of purchase.
Lot 3
Comprising
A Desirable Enclosure of Pasture Land
having an area of
about 2 acres, 2 roods, 22 perches,
as described in the Schedule.
This lot has a valuable frontage of 330ft to the main East Grinstead and Crawley Down Road and is ideal for Poultry Farming.
Vacant possession on completion of purchase.
Schedule
Lot 1
|
Field |
Name |
Description |
Acreage |
|
|
|
Parish of Horne |
|
|
694 |
|
Grass |
02. 00.25 |
|
705 |
|
Grass |
01. 02. 13 |
|
706 |
|
Grass |
02. 00. 01 |
|
725 |
|
Grass and road |
02. 00. 36 |
|
726 |
|
House, buildings etc. |
00. 01. 12 |
|
727 |
|
Grass |
00. 02. 12 |
|
728 |
|
Grass |
00. 03. 20 |
|
Pt 703 |
|
Woodland |
03. 00. 14 |
|
Pt. 703 |
|
Woodland |
02. 01. 11 |
|
|
|
Total |
15. 00 24 |
Lot 2
|
691 |
|
Grass |
02. 03. 17 |
Lot 3
|
692 |
|
Grass |
02. 02. 22 |
Total 22 acres, 2 roods, 13 perches
At the time of sale Raphaelle Major was living at 48, Hoaford Road, Golders Green, London, all three Lots were purchased by Hubert Sherman Saunders for the sum of £1,460.00.
Hubert Sherman Saunders was born about 1897 in Petworth, the son of James and Kate Saunders. James and Kate had at least six other children; James born about 1871, Arthur born about 1883, Kate born about 1885, Thomas born about 1890, Grace born about 1892, and Frank born about 1894. Hubert married Elizabeth C Vincent in Portsmouth in the spring of 1919 and at the time of purchasing Felcot Farm in 1924, they were living at High Beech Farm, Plummers Plain, Horsham in Sussex, Hubert being listed as a farmer. Evidence from the schedule of deeds for Felcot Farm suggests that Hubert and Elizabeth actually lived at the farm, and Hubert applied twice during his ownership for building consent for up to six houses, both applications being met with a refusal. After nine years of living at and farming Felcot Farm, Hubert sold the property to William Anthony Rayner for the sum of £1,600.
William Anthony Rayner was living at Smugglers Cottage, Snow Hill [for further details see Handout, Smugglers Cottage, SJC 07/06] at the time of purchase on 23rd September 1935. During his ownership, William Rayner had mains water put onto Felcot Farm and presumably had the property refurbished as he had done at Smugglers Cottage, although he did not reside at Felcot Farm. The land was leased to the Thomas's of Brook Nook, Furnace Wood, who ran a riding stable, the fields giving valuable space and grassland for their horses, whilst the farmhouse, a garage and two acres of land were leased separately. In 1939 Edgar Carmichael Robbins, a London solicitor, leased the house for the sum of £40 a year. A year later William Rayner died and was buried in the churchyard at St John's Church in Felbridge on 12th October 1940. However, William's wife Letitia continued to live at Smugglers Cottage and in 1947 leased Felcot Farmhouse to Geoffrey Abdy Collins, another London solicitor, and John Sydney Oxon, a London gentleman, for the sum of £80 a year. Letitia Rayner continued to own Felcot Farm until 29th September 1958 when she sold the property, amounting to just over twenty-two acres, to Kenneth Ernest Deacon Housman.
Kenneth Ernest Deacon Housman, known as Ken, was born on 11th August 1925 in Hendon, the son of William Deacon Housman and his wife Ethel F Cownie, who had married in the spring of 1925. At the time of their marriage Ethel was a widow having been born Ethel Arthur. In 1917 she had married Stanley George Cownie and they'd had a son, Stanley George Arthur, born in 1918, his father having pre-deceased him in 1917, shortly after his marriage to Ethel. William and Ethel had one other child besides Ken, a daughter called Josie born on 3rd August 1933.
In 1936 Ken moved with his family from Hendon to Furnace Wood, taking up residence at April Cottage in Felcot Road. Ken attended Felbridge School until December 1938 when he left to start his secondary education at East Grinstead School.
With the onset of World War II, Ken's family temporarily moved back to Hendon, and after completing his secondary education at the age of fourteen, Ken went to work for Handley Page, manufacturers of heavy bomber aeroplanes. In 1944, at the age of 17½ years, Ken joined the Royal Air Force and attended Hendon Technical College where he completed his PACT (Pre-Aircrew Training Course). On completing his training he saw very little active service before the end of the War in 1945. On leaving the RAF in 1947, Ken and his family returned to Furnace Wood, bringing with them Ethel's parents who moved into Owlswood in Felcot Road, a wooden cottage that Ken later replaced with a brick-built bungalow. Initially Ken tried to make a living off the land, selling eggs to Stonegate Egg Suppliers and growing fresh fruit and vegetables to be sold through the local Felbridge Village Produce Association that held a weekly market at the St John's (Felbridge) Institute.
In 1948, Ken went to work for a local building company run by Bert Biggs of The Nest, Furnace Wood, a respected local builder but who sadly lacked business sense that resulted in his bankruptcy in 1951. Ken, by then an accomplished draughtsman and builder, took over the business and put it back on a business-like footing, which he ran until his retirement.
In the spring of 1955 Ken married Betty Frances Thomas, the daughter of Jacky Thomas (known as Jack) and his wife Winifred Hope née Heard. Jack and Winifred had married in the autumn of 1911 in East Grinstead and had four daughters, Winifred H I born in 1912, Barbara J born in 1915, Betty Frances born in 1920, and Margaret Elizabeth. In the mid 1930's the Thomas family moved from East Grinstead to Brook Nook in Furnace Wood, from where they ran the riding stables (mentioned above).
At the time of purchasing Felcot Farm in 1958, Ken and Betty were living at Beechers in Felcot Road, Furnace Wood, Ken working as a builder. One of the first jobs he had to do on acquiring Felcot Farm was to complete the demolition of an ancient barn that had been vandalised during the protracted negotiations for the purchase of the property. It is not clear whether this was William Blundell's barn of 1676 as there is currently a barn standing in that position. The next job was to make safe a two-storey extension on the north side of the property that moved alarmingly away from the property in strong winds. However, this proved to be beyond repair and just simply fell over when he started working on it! Betty continued to run the riding stable, now transferred to Felcot Farm, as well as bringing up their only daughter called Sarah, who like her mother, went on to become an accomplished horsewoman, running the stables, including a large indoor and outdoor sand school, from Felcot Farm until she left home.
In 1968 Ken joined the Felbridge Parish Council after being introduced to Parish Councillor Mrs Nancy McIver through his building work. During his thirty-four years on the Parish Council, Ken was Chairman on six occasions, was the Council's representative on the Board of Governors for Felbridge School, and was a trustee for the Beef and Faggot Charity [for further details see Handout Beef and Faggot Charity, SJC 03/03], the Betchley Rural Charity and the Public Stone and Gravel Pit Charity. A testament to Ken's design skills can be seen in the Village Sign that stands on the Felbridge Village Green, which he designed in 1984, incorporating a number of symbols relating to the history of Felbridge, including, the bridge over the river Fel, one of the sweet chestnut trees planted by the Evelyn family around 1713 which can be seen standing along the Crawley Down Road and behind the Felbridge Village Hall, a water wheel representing Hedgecourt Mill, canon and canon balls representing the iron industry that flourished in the Felbridge area from the mid 1500's until the late 1700's, and a squirrel that is used as the Felbridge School emblem. This design was subsequently used for the Badge of Office worn by the Chairman of Felbridge Parish Council, and on the mug that the Parish Council commissioned to celebrate the New Millennium.
Other service to the Felbridge community include being, at one time, president of Felbridge St John's Ambulance Brigade, and serving on the Village Hall Committee. Ken was also interested in local history, particularly the iron industry and was, for some time, a member of the Wealden Iron Research Group, most appropriate as his house may have been part of the Shanty Town that existed on Hedgecourt Common to support the iron industry of the Felbridge area. He was also a founding member of the Felbridge and District History Group in 1998.
During Ken's ownership of Felcot Farm he found evidence of the iron industry through numerous shards of canon moulds that turned up in the ground. These fired clay chards are imprinted with the coils of rope used in the process of making canon [for further information see Handouts, Gun Founding in Felbridge JIC 11/06 and Rope Making in Felbridge SJC 01/05] and would have made ideal marl for enriching the soil for crop growing by breaking up the heavy clay soil of the area. Ken also found a bronze Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, Ordnance cap badge dating to the 19th century, as well as several lead musket balls. He also found a small collection of clay pipes dating from between 1660 and 1910, some being of a very ornate design including one with a relief of the Prince of Wales feathers dating to between 1700 and 1780 and another with an eagle's claw clutching the bowl of the pipe dating to the 19th century. Also whilst working on the chimney stack, Ken found two gold sovereigns worth 40/- (£2), which someone had hidden in the chimney for safe keeping, and under one of the floor boards he found a small carved wooden zebra.
In 1984 Ken applied for, and successfully gained, Grade II listed status for Felcot Farmhouse, one of only a handful of buildings in Felbridge to be listed, the property description being:
House: 17th century restored and extended in the 19th and 20th centuries. Timber framed on rendered plinth with whitewashed brick cladding below to right, rubblestone cladding to ground floor left; tile hung above a plain tiled roof, half hipped to right. Truncated end stack to left, stack to right end. 1 storey and attic under three hipped leaded diamond pane casement dormers; three casements across ground floor. Glazed door to left of centre, further door to right of centre. Pent roof extension to right with buttress set back to left. Catslide extension across rear.
Interior: Framing visible with ceiling frames and wall partitions visible.
In 2002 Betty Housman died. Shortly after, Ken retired from the Parish Council through ill-health and sadly died on 4th April 2003, in the 50th anniversary year of the Civil Parish of Felbridge. As a mark of respect and remembrance of his contribution to the Felbridge community, the Parish Council have placed a bench on the Felbridge Village Green outside the School, facing the Village Sign.
Today
After the death of Ken Housman, his daughter Sarah leased out the equine facilities whilst refurbishing the house. On completion of the refurbishment, the house was leased separately but in 2005 Felcot Farm, consisting of the house, outbuildings and seventeen acres of land was put up for auction, being purchased by L. Stanhope. Today, the house and garden, and the equestrian facilities and land are leased separately, much like the early 20th century.
Bibliography
Ordnance survey map of Surrey, 1870, FHA
Sale catalogue for Felbridge Place Estate, 1911, FHA
Sale catalogue for Felcott Farm, 1924, FHA
Survey of the manor of Beltchingley 1680, 453/1, SHC
Counterpart lease, 1752, (K61/2/70, SHC)
Bletchingley by U Lambert
Survey of tenants of the manor of South Malling - Lindfield, ACC2327/1/5/15, ESRO
Figg map, ACC 2327/1/5/15, ESRO
Bourd map, 1748, FHA
Freeholder's court book for the manor of Hedgecourt, Box 3151, SHC
Map of cottages of the heath of the manor of Bletchingley, 1761, K61/3/2, SHC
Handout, Warren Furnace, SJC 01/00, FHA
Handout, Wiremill, SJC 03/06, FHA
Counterpart lease, 1678, K61/2/68, SHC
Survey of cottages on the heaths of the manor of Bletchingley, 1676, K60/1/14, SHC
Survey of cottages on the heaths of the manor of Bletchingley, 1690, K60/1/6, SHC
Godstone, by U Lambert
Horne Land Tax, LL
Handout, Rope Making in Felbridge SJC 03/05, FHA
IGI - International Genealogical Index
Horne tithe map and apportionment, SHC
Horne parish records, FHA
Abstract of title, 1876, Box 3151, SHC
Census records, 1841, 1851, 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901
Handout, Hedgecourt Mill Cottages, SJC 07/04, FHA
Handout, The Eating and Drinking establishments of Felbridge Part II, JIC/SJC 03/08, FHA
Handout, Gullege SJC 03/02, FHA
Handout, Dr Charles Henry Gatty, SJC 11/03, FHA
Handout, Bingham Family of Felbridge, SJC 01/05, FHA
Schedule of deeds for Felcot Farm, FHA
Electoral Rolls, CC802/43/2, 45/2, 46/2 and 52/2, SHC
Schedule of Deeds for Whittington College, Archive of the Worshipful Company of Mercers
Handout, Smugglers Cottage, SJC 07/06, FHA
Documented memories of K Housman, FHA
Handout Beef and Faggot Charity, SJC 03/03, FHA
Handout, Civil Parish of Felbridge, SJC 03/03, FHA
Handout, Gun Founding in Felbridge JIC 11/06, FHA
Felcot Farm Auction, 2005, Local newspaper article, FHA
JIC/SJC 04/08