Felbridge & District History Group

The original intention of this document was to research the history of one property situated in the southwest area of Frogit Heath but it soon became apparent that over the years the land holdings in the ancient enclosure were interchangeable between the properties.  Having established the fluidity of the attached land holdings it was decided to concentrate on the general development of this specific area of Frogit Heath and only refer to the land holding of each property at specific dates where the exact holdings are known, i.e. in 1761 from Clayton’s map of the Cottages on the Commons of Bletchingley, 1841 from the Horne Tithe and 1936 from the break up and sale of the West Park estate.

The surviving properties, together with the lives of some of the people associated with each dwelling that will be covered in this document include; Cherry Tree Farm, Cherry Tree Farm Cottage, Quest, Briar Cottage and Quarry Farm.  This document will also cover two other cottages (un-named) that have long since disappeared from the area, together with the lives of some of the people associated with them.  The property known as Cherry Tree Farm to be covered in this document lies to the west of Quarry Farm and should not be confused with Cherry Tree Farmhouse or Cherry Tree House, situated to the east of Bones Lane opposite Newchapel House – the London Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints, both of which have been known as Cherry Tree Farm at various dates in the past [for further information see Handout, Eating and Drinking Establishments of Felbrdge, Pt. IV, SJC 01/10].

 

Information on the occupants of these properties in the 19^th and early 20^th century is based on census records and placing these occupants relies on the probable routes that the enumerators took to collect their data.  It has been impossible to prove a definite census route until 1901 when most of the properties are named.  However there is a highly likely route for each year based upon the details of the preceding and succeeding households found in each census and supporting documentation. 

 

Frogit Heath

Frogit Heath was a large tract of waste that denoted the end of any land that could be usefully cultivated at the southern end of the manors of Lagham and Bletchingley.  These waste lands were historically buffers between adjoining manors and in the case of Frogit Heath it served as a buffer between the manor of Lagham and the manors of Tandridge, Sheffield/Grinstead, Hedgecourt and Bletchingley, and also between the manors of Bletchingley, Hedgecourt, Bysshe Court and Horne Court.

 

Uvedale Lambert believed that one of the first documents that makes reference to Frogit Heath, although not named specifically, comes from 1345 when Adam le Tannere of East Grinstead paid John and Alice atte Spytelle of Luyton, 40 silver marks for ‘one messuage, 28 acres of land, an acre and a quarter of meadow, 15 acres of pasture, 40 acres of heath (bruere)’ at 2s rent in Tanregge [Tandridge], Wolknested [alias Godstone alias Lagham] and Horne.

 

By 1522 the heath had acquired the name of Frogworth Heath, in the 17^th century it had become known as Frogwood or Frogatt, and by the 18^th century this had become Froggit, spelt with either an i or e after the second g and often with two t’s.  However, today the spelling has become standardised as Frogit Heath.

 

Southwest area of Frogit Heath

The southwest area of Frogit Heath was historically held by the manor of Bletchingley, acting as a buffer of wasteland between the manors of Bletchingley and Hedgecourt.  In 1681, the bounds of the land held by Bletchingley were surveyed in detail, and the following is an extract from the survey:

The Heath and waste grounds

…….. one great wast of heath & other common & unenclosed ground commonly called frogwood alias frogatt heath containing by estimation 40 acres. Which said common or unenclosed or wastground lyeth in the parish of Horne within the county of Surrey and the west part thereof adjoining to or abuts upon certain lands called parks a neere alias parkesaneese now or late in the occupation of William Ledger and to or upon certain lands in the occupation of William Freeman and to or upon two small cottages in the occupation of Thomas Locks? & John Plaw and on the north part thereof adjoins to or abuts upon a certain peese of common or wastground belonging to our Soverign the King commonly called the Gildables and is separated and divided from the said Gilables land by a water small brook or gill, which gill devidsth the said Common or wastground extending itself in length from the inclosed lands called near? the said cottages * on the west park on the west to a certain quagmire near a place where a bridge was formerly about thirty years since on the East park and adjoining to or abuts against opposite to certain lands on the East pk called highfields, and the said common or wastground adjoins to or abuts on the south east part on other common or wast lands belonging to George Evelyn Esq Lord of the manor of Godstone alias Walkhampsted called also Frogwood heath, and the said common or wastground of this manor of Bletchingley is distinguished from the common or wast ground belonging to the said George Evelyn by a certain small sheep path extending it self from the said quagmire south west, through part of an orchard or small inclosure belonging to a cottage now in the occupation of one John Campfield Neere unto the chimney of the said cottage having the said chimney on the south east side, and from the said cottage directly south west to a birch tree in a hedge belonging to the inclosed lands of John Gage Baronet and as the severall Meere stones marked with the letter B (signifying Blethcingley) on the top, now made and erected by the view of the said homage doe more plainly divide and show. And the said homage do further present that there is one other common or unenclosed & wastground called Coptthorne containing by estimation _____ acres more or less lying in horne aforesaid belonging to the said manor of Bletchingley which extends itself from the said. That there is a cottage and about one quarter of an acre of land now in the occupation of Joane Gatland widow erected and inclosed out of the said common one other cottage and about one acre of land now in the occupation of Henry Campfield also erected on & inclosed out of the said common And also one other cottage and about two acres of land erected on & inclosed out of the said common now in the occupation of Richard Taylor or of his assigns. 

[Italics have been inserted in the text of the original document, */..= illegible, ? = poor legibility]

[For the full text of the survey see Handout, Settlement Patterns of Felbridge, JC 01/09]

 

The survey states that there was one enclosure in the southwest area of Frogit Heath and that within this ‘small’ enclosure a cottage was already standing that was in the occupation of John Campfield on the boundary between Horne and Godstone.  This enclosure has been identified to the northwest of Froggit Heath Cottage, and to the northeast of the area covered in this document.   The amendment to the survey written sometime between 1681 and 1685 refers to a further three enclosures with three cottages in the southwest area of Frogit Heath, one in the occupation of Henry Campfield, one in the occupation of Joane Gatland and the third in the occupation of Richard Taylor.  However, the amendments to the survey do not imply that the enclosures were not there in 1681 as the original survey was to determine the bounds of the common not its enclosures. 

 

One of the three cottages and enclosures referred in the above survey relates to a dwelling that can be found in an earlier counterpart lease dated 20^th August 1678, made between Sir Robert Clayton and John Morris, Lords of the manor of Bletchingley, and Henry Campfield.  The 99-year lease, which had the potential to run until 1777, was for a messuage and one acre of land at Frogwood Heath, which was taken out on the three lives of Henry Campfield, his wife Elizabeth and their son Henry.  This demonstrates that the 1681 survey did not include the enclosures upon the common and thus the three enclosures in the c1685 amendment could all predate 1681. 

 

Going further back in the surviving documents for the manor of Bletchingley, there is a list of tenants of cottages on Frogwood and Hedgecourt Heaths dated 1676.  These tenants were known as Cottagers and in the 16^th and 17^th centuries came from the poorest sections of society.  Their cottages were small, inferior built buildings, many being only a single room.  The vast majority of these cottages do not survive and those that remain have generally been extended.  These cottages normally appear in the court records as encroachments of the commons and wastes and the fines that were levied were a way of charging rent, although there are very few surviving court records for the manor of Bletchingley.  In 1589 an act was passed that insisted all new cottages should have at least four acres of land attached, although this was not enforced.  The cottages answered the need for housing younger members of local families and migrant workers who supplied labour on local farms/industry, thus creating communities of Cottagers on the wastes of manors.     

 

The Cottagers list includes:

Francis Wicken            holdeth a cottage with 6 perch of land, worth 10/-

Joane Gatland               holdeth a cottage with 6 perch of land, worth 10/-

Henry Camfield            holdeth a cottage with 2 acres of land, worth £1

John Baker                   holdeth a cottage with 4 acres of land, worth £1.10/-

Henry Chart                 holdeth a cottage with 7 acres of land, worth £3

Thomas Chart               holdeth a cottage with 2 acres of land, worth £1

John Camfield               holdeth a cottage with 6 acres of land, worth £2

(son of John Camfield)

Widow Waterage         holdeth a cottage with 5 acres of land, worth £2

William Blundell            holdeth a barne & 5 out holts  6 acres, worth £2

George Coleman          holdeth a cottage with 2 acres of land, worth £1.10/-

John Finch                    holdeth no cottage but 6 acres of land, worth 13s 4d

(held of the parish of Worth)

 

This list of Cottagers includes the names of Joane Gatland and Henry Cam[p]field, again implying that they could have been in the occupation of cottages within enclosures of Frogit Heath from as early as 1676, some twenty-six years before the amended survey of 1681.  It has been possible to determine where each of these holdings were situated and the holdings of the first three named Cottagers were in the southwest section of Frogit Heath.  The back of the 1676 cottagers list has another entry: ‘Copyhold granted in 1659 to Ralph Casinghurst and Thomas Lavy now holdeth by Richard Taylor’.  A copyholder was generally of higher status than a Cottager as copyhold tenure was a form of customary tenure by which a tenant held a copy of the entry in the rolls of the manorial court baron that recorded their possession of a holding on agreed terms.  Originally the tenant would have performed service to the lord, but by the 16^th century this had been converted to paying a large entry fine into the property and nominal annual rents.  During the same century, copyhold began to be replaced by leasehold. 

 

The most likely candidate for Ralph Cas[s]inghurst was living in the Horne area with his wife Ann in the years leading up to 1659, as the Horne parish registers record that their children were all born in the parish and include; Susan born in 1652, Phillip born in 1654 who must have died an infant as they had a second Phillip born in 1659, an un-named daughter born in 1656 and Elizabeth born in 1661.  As for Thomas Lavy, he and his wife Frances had at least one daughter, Elizabeth born in 1664 in Horne.  Thomas had already died by 1700 when his wife Frances is recorded in the burial register for Horne.

 

The most likely candidate for Richard Taylor, who held the copyhold property in 1676, can be found in the marriage index as marrying Elizabeth Gates in Crowhurst, Surrey, on 26^th January 1659.  Richard and Elizabeth had at least four children, all born in Horne, that include; George born on 18^th May 1661, Mary born on 27^th February 1663, Richard christened in 1665 and Anne born on 13^th April 1667. 

 

Unfortunately, there is no information available for anyone called Francis Wicken although the surname (and its variants) existed in the Horne/Bletchingley/Lingfield area from the late 1500’s.

 

As it has been possible to identify locations of the named Cottagers of 1676, there is reasonable evidence to suggest that from the survey of 1681/5 Henry Cam[p]field and Joane Gatland were in the occupation of two of the three cottages referred to in the Cottager list of 1676 on the southwest section of Frogit Heath.  However, there is no mention of Francis Wicken who was the third cottager in 1676.  The most likely reasons for his omission is that he was the tenant in Taylor’s property in 1676 as the 1681/5 survey referred to this property as occupied by ‘Richard Taylor or his assigns’ implying that perhaps either he was deceased by then and that his former property was in the hands of his assigns, or that he had assigned it to Francis Wicken.

 

From the surviving documentary and/or structural evidence, the only possible properties in the southwest section of Frogit Heath that could equate to the three holdings referred to in 1676 are the dwellings that became known as Cherry Tree Farm Cottage and Quest with Taylor’s copyhold property equating to Briar Cottage.  Map evidence would suggest that Cherry Tree Farm Cottage did not appear until sometime between 1753 and 1761.  However, the construction technique of Cherry Tree Farm Cottage would suggest that it was built at the same or a very similar time to that of Quest (see below).  The presence of un-shuttered mullion windows in a domestic structure would make them more likely to be built in the first half of the 17^th century.  Therefore the absence of Cherry Tree Farm Cottage on the Rocque map (surveyed during or after 1753 and published in 1768) one of the first maps depicting properties in this area, is assumed to be a cartographer’s error. This assumption is supported by the absence of two other properties on the Rocque map both of which appear on the 1748 Board map of the Evelyn’s Felbridge estate and Clayton’s map of the Cottages on the Commons of Bletchingley of 1761 which are detailed local maps spanning the survey of the Rocque map.  The only other cottage in the area (referred to as Cottage C in this document) is not obviously referred to in the documentary records and without a surviving structure it is impossible to date accurately, but it does appear on the Rocque map and Clayton Map implying that it was built before 1761.

 

As for the people listed in the 1681/5 survey; Henry Campfield was born in Horne about 1632, the son of Robert and Anne Campfield.  Henry married twice; first to Margaret Rowland on 16^th April 1658 and they had a daughter Jane born on 24^th May 1661.  Sadly Margaret died within a year and Henry took for his second wife Elizabeth (date of marriage and surname not yet established).  Henry and Elizabeth had at least four children, all born in Horne, including, Elizabeth born on 25^th October 1663, Henry born about 1665, Mary born about 1667 and Sarah born about 1670.  Unfortunately it has not yet been possible to establish a link between Henry and the John (son of John) Campfield that held the property on Frogit Heath mentioned in the survey of 1681, but from their birth years it would suggest that Henry and John senior could have been brothers (although John’s parentage has not yet been established) making Henry and John junior probably uncle and nephew. 

 

A little is also known about the life of Joane Gatland.  She married Thomas Gatland and it is probable that Thomas Gatland was the first tenant of one of the enclosures in the southwest area of Froggit Heath.  Thomas and Joane Gatland had at least five children, all born in Horne, including; Nicholas born on 14^th July 1645, Anne born in 1647, William born on 12^th November 1650, Joane born on 10^th June 1653 and John born on 31^st October 1655.  On the death of Thomas Gatland in August 1666 the property passed to his widow, Joane.  Unfortunately it has not yet been possible to determine how long the property remained with the Gatland family after the death of Joane in 1684. 

 

Progressive enclosure of Frogit Heath

Frogit Heath would originally have been open common land used for grazing livestock by those living in the manor that held each common.  Minor creeping encroachment at the edge of the common land by erecting a fence and using the newly enclosed land for agriculture was frequent and fines were levied either to be paid to the manor to allow the enclosure to remain or as penalties if the enclosure was not removed.  It is often difficult to determine, from the surviving fragmentary evidence, whether the manor was supporting encroachment at a particular time or actively trying to prevent it.

 

As mentioned above, very small cottages were erected in the 16^th and 17^th centuries to house manorial workers.  These were most frequently placed at the very edges of the common.  However on Frogit Heath (similar to Horley Heath and Lowfield Heath) some of them were placed near the centre of the heath as isolated holdings.

 

The early map evidence and documents support the theory that the dwellings now known as Quest, Briar Cottage and Cherry Tree Farm Cottage were constructed on small plots of land to the north and south of a wide track across the middle of Frogit Heath.  The small holding now known as Quest appears to have been built alongside a north/south track which would have been a continuation of Stub Pond Lane towards Horne.  The field boundaries have not retained any evidence of a trackway leading past Cherry Tree Farm Cottage although it is possible that there was a track local to this enclosure.  The land adjoining each property was small and therefore they did not meet up at their edges thus they remained surrounded by common.  As further encroachment of the remaining common took place these extended from the original enclosed lands until all of the small fields joined together to form a mass in the middle of the southwest section of Frogit Heath.

  

Figures 1-3. Development of enclosures on the common

Plotted over the 1870 O/S map

Further map evidence shows that between about 1753 and 1761 a dwelling was built at Quarry Farm and the surrounding fields enclosed.  Unfortunately very few Bletchingley Court records survive and the exact date and initial tenant cannot be determined.

 

 

 

 

More encroachments on Frogit Heath took place at the edges of the common land and continued until the early 19^th century when Private Acts were passed to enclose the remaining common lands.

 

The Enclosure Act for Frogit Heath was passed in 1810 and at that time there were at least four, possibly five properties in the southwest section of Frogit Heath as it has not yet been possible to determine whether Cottage C was still standing in 1810.  These small enclosures were referred to as ‘Clayton’s ancient enclosure’.  ‘Clayton’ refers to Sir Robert Clayton who had jointly purchased the manor of Bletchingley from the trustees of Lady Mary Morduant (a descendent Lord William Howard, 1^st Baron of Effingham) in 1677.  It is, however, interesting to note that at least three of the properties pre-date Clayton’s purchase of the manor and therefore the enclosures, whether legally or illegally, and were probably made under the ownership of the Howard family. 

 

It took a further four years to complete the enclosure of Frogit Heath and the area surrounding ‘Clayton’s ancient enclosures’.  This area of Frogit Heath, lying in Horne, in the manor of Bletchingley, remained in the hands of descendants of the Clayton family until being purchased by George Palmer of West Park House in the mid 19^th century, being incorporated as part of his 2,236 acre West Park estate.  The estate then passed to his son Alfred, but on his death, the West Park estate was put up for auction in September 1936 [for further information see Handout, West Park Estate, SJC 04/99].

 

Figure 4. Key to the Building numbers in the text

Cherry Tree Farm

The current holding of Cherry Tree Farm encompasses the sites of three of the dwellings covered in this document – Cherry Tree Farm Cottage [Cottage B on figure 4], Cottage C [ref. figure 4] which in present in circa 1753 and then gone by the early 19^th century when Cottage F was built [see figure 4], together with the current house [Cottage E on figure 4].  As for Cottage C, this site had historically been part of the Cherry Tree Farm holding, being on the boundary with Quarry Farm to which it now belongs, until sometime between 1761 and 1841.

 

In 1841 what became known as Cherry Tree Farm was in the ownership of William Kenrick and the tenancy of Elizabeth Barnes (for further information see Barnes family below).  The following table shows the apportionment held by Elizabeth Barnes in the southwest corner of Frogit Heath in 1841.

 

Field no.	Description	Acreage
632	Arable	08. 01. 30
635	Arable	02. 01. 36
638a	Cottage and Garden [Cherry Tree Farm Cottage]	00. 00. 23
638b	Meadow	01. 03. 02
642	Meadow	01. 01. 12
643	Pasture	00. 00. 35
644	House, Garden and Orchard [Cottage F]	00. 03. 12
645	Orchard and Meadow	00. 01. 32
646	Arable	01. 00. 18
658	Garden	00. 00. 32
659	Meadow [future site of current Cherry Tree Farm house]	01. 00. 12
Total		18. 00. 04

 

Besides tenanting this section of Frogit Heath, Elizabeth Barnes also tenanted land further north belonging to William Kenrick.  This more northern holding amounted to a further 10a 1r 22p and the following table shows this apportionment held by Elizabeth Barnes in 1841.  

Field no.	Description	Acreage
673	Arable	02. 01. 30
674	Meadow	00. 03. 23
675	Meadow	01. 00. 24
676	2 Cottages and Gardens	00. 00. 36
678	Meadow	00. 02. 34
679	Meadow	01. 02. 14
680	Meadow	02. 01. 25
681	Meadow	00. 03. 38
Total		10. 01. 22

 

Cherry Tree Farm Cottage

As established above, Cherry Tree Farm Cottage (Cottage B) is likely to be one of the original cottages built in the three enclosures of  the southwest corner of Frogit Heath that are mentioned in the survey of the bounds of land held by the manor of Bletchingley in 1685.  The enclosure in which Cherry Tree Farm Cottage stands had been formed some time around the mid 1600’s.

 

In 1761 what became Cherry Tree Farm Cottage appears on Clayton’s map of the Cottages on the Commons of Bletchingley as plots 11 in the occupation of Campfield, amounting to 1a 1r 26p.  Unfortunately only the surname has been used on the map and therefore it is has not yet been possible to determine any further details on Campfield or any relationship with Henry Campfield who held property in the area in 1685.

 

Cherry Tree Farm Cottage since the 18^th century

During the 19^th century it would appear that the cottage was occupied by a secession of tenants, mostly working on the land or of fairly low status. 

 

William Buckland

In 1841 the cottage was in the occupation of William Buckland, an agricultural labourer, and his family.  William Buckland was born about 1788 and married Amelia Carpenter on 21^st May 1810 in Horne; Amelia had been born about 1791.  William and Amelia had at least four children, all born in Horne, including, James born in 1817, Elizabeth born in 1828, Emily born in 1833 and George born in 1833. 

 

Richard Stripp

In 1851 Richard Stripp, a basket butcher, and his family were living at the cottage.  Richard Stripp was born in Horne in about 1819, and married Mary Carey in 1848; Mary had been born about 1812.  Richard and Mary had at least one child, Margery, born in 1851 in Horne, but it would appear that Mary brought to her marriage a son called Richard, born out of wedlock on 3^rd January 1845.

 

John Howard

In 1861 the Stripp family had been succeeded by John Howard, an agricultural labourer, and his family.  John Howard had been born about 1801 and married Philadelphia Payne on 2^nd September 1822; Philadelphia had been born about 1804.  John and Philadelphia had at least seven children, including; Hannah born in 1823, Ann born in 1828, William born in 1836, Ellen born in 1841, Thomas born in 1844, Sophia born in 1846 and Mary Ann born in 1847.

 

Mary Brunt

In 1871 Mary Brunt, a widow, with a young family had moved into the cottage.  Mary Brunt, who had been born about 1836, was the widow of agricultural labourer Thomas Brunt, who was the son of Abraham Brunt of Briar Cottage (see below).  Thomas Brunt had been born about 1824 and had married Mary Ann Ferguson in 1860, the widow of Thomas Ferguson with whom she had a son named Frank, born in 1860.  The marriage between Thomas Brunt and Mary was also Thomas’ second marriage as he had previously married Harriet Isted in 1849, with whom he’d had two children, Frederick born about 1850 and Harriet born about 1854.  Thomas’ wife Harriet had died in 1857.  Thomas and Mary had at least two children, Thomas born in 1860 and George christened on 30^th July 1865, just a few months before the death of his father, Thomas Brunt, who died in the December quarter of 1865, leaving Mary to bring up their two children on her own.

 

James Brown

In 1881 Mary Brunt and her two sons had been succeeded by James Brown, an agricultural labourer, and his family.  James Brown had been born in 1848, the son of William and Jane Brown.  James married Naomi Matilda Shirley on 27^th April 1872 at St John’s Church, Felbridge, and they had at least four children; Alice born in 1873, Joseph Arthur born in 1876, Minnie born in 1878 and Elsey born in 1880.  As a point of interest, by 1901 James and Matilda Brown and their family had moved to Lowlands Cottage in East Park Lane [for further information see Handout, Eating and Drinking Establishments of Felbridge, SJC 03/10].

 

Mary Fillery

In 1891 Mary Fillery and her family had moved into the cottage.  Mary Fillery was born Mary Elizabeth Giles in 1859 and was the widow of Walter Fillery who had been born about 1857.  Walter and Mary had married in 1882 and had at least four children including; Walter Henry born about 1882, Sydney born about 1884, Lillian Mary born in 1886 and who sadly died within three months of her birth, Albert James born in 1887 and Alfred George born in 1889.  Walter Fillery died in 1890 leaving Mary with a fairly large family to care for, although by 1890 sons Walter and Sydney were both working, Walter as a general labourer and Sydney as a bricklayer’s labourer, probably for Henry Maynard who was a bricklayer by trade living in the neighbouring property of Briar Cottage (see below). 

 

The Fillery family remained at the cottage until at least 1901, and by then Mary had had another child, Ellen Elizabeth, born in 1897, although the name of the father has not yet been established.

 

Henry Chapman

In 1911 the Fillery family had been succeeded at the cottage by Henry Chapman and his family.  Henry Chapman had been born in Godstone in 1879 and married Caroline West in 1908; Caroline had been born in Langport, Somerset, in 1879.  Henry and Caroline had at least three children, Florence May born in 1910, Kathleen born in 1912 and Ralph born in 1915.  The census of 1911 records that Henry Chapman was working as a cow-man on a farm and the most likely farm would have been Cherry Tree Farm as the cottage was, by then part of the farm’s holding.  The 1911 census also gives some information about the cottage in which they were living.  The dwelling was known as Cherry Tree Farm Cottage and was described as containing three rooms, plus a kitchen.

 

In 1936, Cherry Tree Farm Cottage was put up for auction as part of Cherry Tree Farm in the break up and sale of the West Park estate after the death of Alfred Palmer.  At the time of sale Cherry Tree Farm Cottage, standing in plot no.480, was for sale as part of Lot 48, being described as:

a detached brick, asbestos roofed, tile-hung and tiled

 

Old Fashioned Cottage

containing Living Room with beamed ceiling and fireplace; Scullery, fitted sink; Larder, and two small Bedrooms.

 

After the sale, Cherry Tree Farm Cottage continued to be lived in until the mid 1950’s, being slightly modernised with the introduction of electricity.  Since the mid 1950’s the cottage has stood empty and has unfortunately now lost part of its roof, the asbestos side.  However, it has been possible to make a photographic and visual survey of the structure.

 

Structure of Cherry Tree Farm Cottage

The property is bricked up to the first floor with brick infill between the surviving beams on the upper floor that has had a render applied over the entire surface.  The structure is aligned roughly east/west with a stack at the west end of two bays.  The roof is constructed with 45 degree slope and is tiled.  The structure is in a very poor condition and structurally unsound thus the survey has been completed visually from the outside.  The roof and upper storey of the east bay have completely collapsed.

 

The timbering of the two bays is noticeably different and it is believed that the west bay is the original structure and a bay was added to the east at a later date.

 

Bay 1

The single bay is 13ft (4m) square, the brick built stack is offset on the west wall so that it is against the north wall and stops 3ft (1m) before the east wall of the bay.  There has been significant timber removal on the ground floor and the cut off wall posts are only visible just above the ground floor brickwork.  The current doorway is located in the southwest corner of this bay.  The south wall is divided into three panels above and below the mid-rail.  The mortices for three bar mullion windows survive below the mid-rail in the south wall central panel and below the wall plate in the south wall eastern panel.  The floor joists run parallel to the external walls and span the full length of the bay.  The only carpenter’s marks that could be seen are on the outside of the wall post in the northeast corner.  There is a scaffold mark in the face of the northeast corner wall post, almost definitely associated with supporting the frame when the lower floor was bricked up.

 

The fireplace is a large inglenook style, the bressumer beam has a plain chamfer with run out stops and there is no evidence for a spit jack.  The rear of the inglenook has a lintel and infill brickwork most probably associated with a bread oven beyond the west end wall in the north corner.  The stack steps back on the first floor and sits within the timber frame, however the end tiebeam terminates at the stack and has been held in place with iron straps.  The wall posts are wider aligned with the eastern face of the stack matching the size of the corner posts.   The mid-rail also terminates into the wall post at the face of the stack, this all implies a bay and a half construction style, although there is no tiebeam level with the face of the stack thus the framing is for a single bay structure.

 

The timbers for the east end wall are visible.  They are reused rafters that diminished above their original purlin; these timbers divide the wall into five panels.  No evidence for wind braces can be seen in any of the timbers in bay 1.  The roof is pegged rafters with clasped purlins.  A small dormer window has been cut into the roof near the centre of the south elevation of the whole building.  There are peg holes in the collar at the east end of this bay showing that the original roof was half hipped.

 

Bay 2

This bay has been attached to the western frame of bay 1 and similar scantling timbers to bay 1.  The bay is only 7ft 6ins long (2m) and the whole of the first floor and roof has collapsed leaving little visible as only the ground floor brickwork has survived.  The only timber wall panel is the first floor south wall.  This is divided into four panels with straight diagonal up wind braces rising from the centre of the mid rail into the junctions of the wall-posts and the wall-plate.

 

A first floor doorway has been cut through the tiebeam at the east end of bay 1.  There is evidence for long straight braces rising from the mid-rail joint with the wall posts into the underside of the tiebeam similar to the surviving bracing in the south wall.  Early 20^th century pictures show the eastern end wall for bay 2 to have been a gable without a half hip.

 

Discussion and Conclusion

The property was initially a single bay dwelling probably constructed in the mid 17^th century with a brick stack.  Access to the first floor was probably via a ladder on the east side of the chimney.  The position of the external doorway(s) cannot be determined absolutely, but the surviving doorway in the south wall at the west end could be original.

 

After the initial construction, a single bay (bay 2) was added as an end bay onto the east end of the original bay. This provided a further single open room on the ground floor and another on the first floor. The style of this extension best matches an extension being added in the early 18^th century.

 

Cherry Tree Farm Cottage today

Today, Cherry Tree Farm Cottage, one of the three original cottages of the enclosures of the mid 1600’s that, together with the site of Cottage C and Quarry Farm, formed Clayton’s ancient enclosure on Frogit Heath is still standing but in much need of repair, which the current owner hopes to undertake in the very near future. 

 

Cottage C

Unfortunately, little is known about Cottage C other than it stood to the south of Cherry Tree Farm Cottage on the boundary between what is today Cherry Tree Farm and Quarry Farm.

 

The cottage is clearly depicted on the Rocque map 1753/8 and in 1761 the cottage appears as the dwelling for a land holding that later formed part of Cherry Tree Farm.  It is possible that, like Cherry Tree Farm Cottage, it was another single bay structure.  Clayton’s map of the Cottages on the Commons of 1761 lists Stripp as the occupier of the cottage and land in this area, holding plots 12 amounting to 3a 1r 21p.  Unfortunately, with no initial it has not yet been possible to determine who Stripp was or any relationship with Richard Stripp who was in occupation of Cherry Tree Farm Cottage in 1851 (see above).  

 

Cottage C stood until sometime in the early 19^th century as map evidence shows that it disappeared between 1809 and 1841.  The tithe map shows the site of the former cottage as part of plot 661 (a meadow without any buildings) being held as part of Quarry Farm (see below), whilst its earlier land holding now formed part of Cherry Tree Farm. 

 

Cottage F

At some time between 1809 and 1841 a new dwelling was constructed to the west of Cottage C, slightly north of the current farm yard/buildings.  The plot in which Cottage F was erected is a most irregular shape suggesting an in-fill between surrounding established enclosures.   Unfortunately no descriptions of this property appear to survive although map evidence would suggest that it was comparable in size with Briar Cottage.  However, the tenants can be identified from the census records from 1841 until the early 1880’s when the dwelling disappeared from the maps to be replaced by the current house that lies adjacent to West Park Road.

 

In 1841 the site of Cottage F was in the tenancy of Elizabeth Barnes (see above), although in 1841 the dwelling was in the occupation of John Cooper, the son of James Cooper from neighbouring Quarry Farm (see below), the cottage having been erected on land that in 1761 had formed part of Quarry Farm.  As well as Cottage F, Elizabeth Barnes also held the site of Cherry Tree Farm Cottage (see above) that was in the occupation of William Buckland (see above) and surrounding land amounting to 18a 0r 4p.

 

John Cooper

John Cooper was born about 1811, the son of James and Hannah Cooper who, in 1841, were living in the neighbouring property of Quarry Farm (see below).  In 1841 John Cooper was working as a grocer and living in Cottage F with his wife Elizabeth and two daughters Ann and Jane, together with the household servant called Sarah Morley.

 

John Cooper had married Elizabeth Worsell in 1837 and they went on to have at least nine children including, Ann Emma born about 1839, Jane born in 1840, John born about 1841, Mary Ann born in 1843, Eliza born in 1845, William born in 1847, Elizabeth born in 1849, Fanny Caroline born in 1853 and Alice born in 1856.   

 

The Cooper family’s occupation of Cottage F was for a fairly short duration as by 1851 John Cooper and his family had moved to the stores at Newchapel Green, on the site of the Blacksmith’s Head, where he was working as a general shop keeper, employing five people (for further information see Handout, Eating and Drinking Establishments of Felbridge, Pt. IV, SJC 03/10), and Cottage F was in the occupation of Elizabeth Barnes.

 

The Barnes family

In 1851 Elizabeth Barnes, by then a widow of sixty-two, was living at Cottage F with two of her sons, Edward and Benjamin.

 

Elizabeth had been born Elizabeth Roffey, the daughter of James and Mary Roffey of Godstone, in 1789.  She married William Barnes on 13^th June 1810 and they had at least six children, Maria born in 1813, William born about 1816, Edward William born in 1820, Philadelphia born in 1822, Mary born in 1827 and Benjamin born in 1831.

 

It would appear that Elizabeth’s husband William Barnes died in the September quarter of 1847 and by 1851 Elizabeth, recorded as a farmer, together with her youngest sons, had moved to Cottage F, her remaining children having already left home.  Maria had married William Humphrey and had an extensive family of nine children, William had married Frances and had a family of four children, Philadelphia had married Thomas Skilton and had a family of five children, and Mary had married Edward Dench and also had a family of five children.  Elizabeth Barnes remained at Cottage F until her death in 1857, being buried at Horne Church, the cottage and farm being taken over by her son Edward.

 

By 1861, Benjamin Barnes had married Rachel Siffleet, leaving the farm in the sole occupation of his brother Edward and his family.  Edward Barnes married Dinah Adelaide Burkin, the daughter of William and Ann Burkin of Croydon, in 1856; Dinah having been born about 1832.  Edward and Dinah would eventually have at least seven children; Edward William born in 1857, Elizabeth Ann born about 1859, Emily Matilda born in 1861, Mary Jane born about 1863, Henry James born on 20^th November 1866, John Frederick born about 1868 and Sophia born about 1871.

 

Edward Barnes was to farm this area of Frogit Heath until his death in 1879, being listed in the Post Office Directory as ‘farmer of Newchapel’.  Edward’s son Edward took over the farm after the death of his father and in 1881 is referred to as a ‘farmer of thirty acres’, compared to his father’s entries for the previous two census that recorded him as a ‘farmer of twenty acres’.  It was around the date of transfer between Edward senior and Edward junior that Cottage F disappeared from the maps being replaced by the current Cherry Tree Farm house [Cottage E in figure 4 on page 6], appearing on the Ordnance Survey map in 1895.  This is confirmed in the Notes on Newchapel that were written by Les Oliver, a local resident of Newchapel, who sates that ‘the house was built about 1880 and replaced an old farm house [Cottage F] which was situated lower in the fields beside the farm yard’.

 

Cherry Tree Farm and the current house

Edward Barnes junior married Mary Ann Dolling, the daughter of William and Caroline Dolling of Croydon, in 1879; Mary Ann having been born in Buckland St Mary, Somerset, about 1859.  Edward and Mary Ann had at least three children, Henry Edward William born in 1880, John Frederick born in 1884 and Edward William born in 1903. 

 

In 1881 Edward Barnes was employing his brother Henry as a live-in farm hand but he moved to the Croydon area after his marriage to Ellen Amelia Sarah Lock in 1889.  Also living with the family was Edward’s sister Sophia.  Ten years later Edward Barnes is recorded as a farmer and carrier and was employing James Winchester as a live-in farm hand and Harriet Skinner as a live-in domestic servant.  Also in the household was Edward’s sister Elizabeth, by then aged thirty-one, living off her own means. 

 

By 1911 the farm had acquired the name of Cherry Tree Farm and the house was described as containing seven rooms, plus a kitchen.  Edward and his family remained there until 1913 when they moved to the Croydon area and Cherry Tree Farm was taken over by Henry Chittenden. 

 

Henry Chittenden

Henry Chittenden was born in Willesley, Cranbrook, Kent, on 27^th March 1871, the son of Thomas Chittenden and his wife Mary Ann née Foreman.  Thomas Chittenden was a corn dealer and the Chittenden family were living at Camden Villa, Cranbrook, at the time of Henry’s birth.  By 1891 Henry was working as a corn dealer’s assistant but within eight years he had become a farmer, the occupation he held until he left Cherry Tree Farm.

 

Henry Chittenden married Mabel Symonds on 15^th November 1899 at the Wesleyan Chapel, St Columb Minor, Newquay, Cornwall.  Mabel had been born on 30^th August 1873 in Islington.  Henry and Mabel had two children, Sibyl born 16^th January 1903 and Eric born 12^th March 1904, both born at Upper Morgans Farm, Fletching, Sussex, where Henry was working as a poultry farmer. 

 

By 1907 the Chittenden family had moved to the Manor House, Sissinghurst, Kent, and a year later to Burleigh House, Crawley Down, Sussex, where they remained until 1913 when they moved to Cherry Tree Farm.  Mabel Chittenden died at Cherry Tree Farm on 7^th September 1925 and three years after her death, Henry married Lillian Huddlestone at Ventnor, Isle of Wight, on 27^th June 1928.  The couple remained at Cherry Tree Farm until 1932 when they moved to Ye Olde Welcome in the High Street, East Grinstead, Sussex, being succeeded at Cherry Tree Farm by Edwin Martin.

 

Edwin Martin

A possible candidate for Edwin Martin is one who was born in 1901, in the Godstone registration district.  It is known that Edwin Martin was in residence in 1934, advertising as a ‘farmer of Newchapel’ in the Kelly’s Directory.  Two years later he appears as the tenant of Cherry Tree Farm, together with other land, in the sale catalogue for the break-up of the West Park estate in 1936.  At this date Cherry Tree Farm Cottage (see above) is also listed in the tenancy of Edwin Martin, as well as Quest (see below).

 

Cherry Tree Farm was auctioned as Lot 48, together with other land in the occupation of Edwin Martin (attached to Briar Cottage) that was auctioned as Lot 51, the descriptions as follows:

Lot 48

 

Cherry Tree Farm

Newchapel

 

Area: 19a 1r 5p

 

A Compact Small Dairy Holding

situated adjoining the previous Lot and close to Newchapel Corner on the Lingfield-Crawley Road.

 

The Modern Farmhouse

is detached and of brick and tile construction.  It contains:- Porch, Hall and Staircase; Sitting Room; Dining Room with modern fireplace; Kitchen, fitted open hob fireplace, sink (H&C); Dairy or Larder, and Cellar.  Above are Four Bedrooms; Bathroom, fitted bath, lavatory basin and WC, Heated Linen Cupboard and Loft.

 

Outside timber and iron Wash-house and EC.

 

Pump Water supply.  Hot Water is obtained from a boiler fitted to the Dining Room fireplace.  Cesspit Drainage.

 

The Buildings

are of varied construction and include:- Cow House for 10 and Four Loose Boxes; Two-Stall Stable; iron-roofed Two-bay Cart Shed with Loft over; timber and iron-roofed Granary, and range of Eight newly-built brick and slate Pigsties with concrete feeding troughs; and galvanised iron Mill House.

 

Range of Farm Buildings adjoining Dennis Villa.

 

In No.480 there is a detached brick asbestos roofed tile-hung and tiled

 

Old Fashioned Cottage

containing Living Room with beamed ceiling and fireplace; Scullery, fitted sink; Larder, and two small Bedrooms.

 

The Land

consists of Seven Pastures and an arable field of 7 ½ acres (No. 458).

 

Lot 51

An Accommodation

Pasture Field

 

Area: 2a 3r 13p

 

A Valuable Enclosure

adjoining the main Lingfield to Crawley Road with a frontage thereto and on two other sides to the private road leading to bones Lane.

 

Company’s Water Mains are available in the main road.

From the description of the land usage, the farm was by 1936 being run as a dairy farm, although to have a granary they must have grown cereal crops, possibly for animal feed, and with eight newly built pigsties they must have kept pigs.  The main house was also described as ‘modern’, although from map evidence the latest it could have been built was 1895.  As a point of interest, the big black barn that still stands to the west of the house is now listed and appears on the Tithe map of 1841.

 

Today the land holding consists of just over five acres, encompassing the western strip of the original enclosures of the mid 1600’s, including the site of Cherry Tree Farm Cottage, together with the site of a replacement farmhouse referred to in this document as Cottage F, the farm yard, the black barn and the ‘modern’ Cherry Tree Farm house built about 1880 to replace Cottage F.  As for the ‘modern’ Cherry Tree Farm house, it has recently undergone extensive reinstatement works (2008/9) after the removal of timber and masonry found to be affected with dry rot resulted in the collapse of a large portion of the existing structure. 

 

Quest

The site of the property known as Quest, formerly known as Yew Tree Cottage, (Cottage A) is within one of the original enclosures of the southwest corner of Frogit Heath of the mid 1600’s.  The design of the oldest part of the house is the same as that of Cherry Tree Farm Cottage, although its construction differs slightly.  The original cottage was built north/south, almost abutting the southern boundary of its original small enclosure, and it is due to the closeness of the boundary that the subsequent early additions to the property have run to the east of the original dwelling. 

 

Structure of Quest

The property is bricked up to the first floor in English bond with a dentil detail below the tile hung upper floor.  The oldest part of the structure is aligned roughly north/south with a twin flue stack at the north end of a single bay.  The roof is constructed with 45 degree slope and is tiled with a half hip at the southern end. 

 

There are two bays that have been added to the east side of the single bay, these are covered with a tiled roof with a lower ridge height than the earlier single bay and there are dormer windows on the south elevation to provide light into the first floor rooms.  This roof is also half hipped at the east end, the east end gable wall is the only exterior exposed timber framing and is made up of large square panels with light scantling timber and straight bracing. 

 

There are two wells visible close to the dwelling, one on the west and another on the east. The eastern one has a yew tree alongside it.

 

There are modern extensions to the north of all three bays, these were added after 1936 and extensively use old oak beams to match the style of the earlier structure.

 

Bay 1

The single bay is 13ft (4m) square, the brick built stack is offset on the north wall so that it is against the west wall and stops 3ft (1m) before the east wall of the bay.  There has been significant timber replacement on the ground floor and only the original northeast corner wall post remains visible.  There is no surviving sill beam, but the base of this wall post would be compatible with the original floor level being close (if not slightly lower) than the modern level.  This wall post also has the evidence for a doorway in the northeast corner of this room with a latch and lock.  There is also has a 6” mortice near the top on the south side which had infill above it and could have been for a door header.

 

There is a 7ins x 8ins deep transverse beam running east – west across the centre of the bay.  This has 2¾ins x 3ins deep floor joists pegged into it on both sides; these have plain chamfers and run out stops.  The transverse beam has a deep chamfer with run out stops.  The east mid rail has mortices for a wall post below the transverse beam as well as another post 2ft 6ins further north and another post dividing the south wall panel roughly in half.  The two floor joists in the northeast corner have been replaced and probably mark the location of a staircase at one time.  Two of the joists in front of the stack stop short where there is a support for the first floor fireplace; the chamfers on these joists also stop short implying that the first floor fireplace existed when the joists were installed.  There is no surviving evidence for any original fenestration on the ground floor.

 

The fireplace is a large inglenook style, the bressumer beam has a plain chamfer with run out stops, the rear of the beam is significantly cut back but there is no evidence for a spit jack.  The west of the inglenook has a lintel and infill brickwork most probably associated with a bread oven beyond the west wall of the surviving structure.

 

The first floor is made up of varying width oak floor boards but the majority are in excess of 9ins, the largest ones being 11ins.  There is a small hearth in the first floor chamber constructed with the same bricks as the main stack.  The face of the stack is stepped back to the north above this hearth.  The mortices for the original east wall are visible in the adjacent room, but all the timbers have been removed.  It is constructed with large panels and wind braces at each end.

 

The clearest feature is that the first floor is larger than the ground floor.  The east wall plate over-sails the point above the corner post from the ground floor and the tie beam is 18ins further north than the face of the stack on the ground floor which marks the rear of the mid rail on the ground floor.  This enables the space to the east of the stack to be used as an original access to the first floor.  The underside of the tie-beam has mortices for infill at the east end which formed the outer wall.

 

The tie-beams are visible and have peg holes for queen struts although these are no longer present.  The roof is very clean with no visible sooting.  The structure is clasped purlin with 3ins square purlins; the rafters are 4ins x 3ins and pegged at the ridge.  There are no carpenter’s marks visible.  There is an additional collar clasping the purlins mid way across the bay, this reflects the position of the transverse beam on the ground floor, but there is no tie-beam at this location and correspondingly there are no mortices or peg holes for queen struts below this collar.  The east purlin terminates just past the face of the stack.  The junction of the later roof, which extends to the east, is also visible in this space; it is in-filled and sealed with a daub and hazel wattle wall.

 

Bay 2

This lies immediately to the east of the first bay, it is 13ft wide to match the size of the bay it extends from, but is shorter being only 11ft 6ins long.  It has been attached to the earlier bay and does not have its own frame at the west end.  The only surviving wall post on the ground floor is at the northeast corner.  There is a surviving mid rail connected to this post with a straight upward brace attached to the top of the rail.  The wall was in-filled below this rail.  There is an axial beam in the centre of the bay into which the floor joists are located.  The whole first floor of this bay has been raised in the modern period and new posts have been inserted to support the floor at the raised height.  The ceiling height was only 5ft 6ins (compared to 6ft 6ins in bay 1).

 

On the first floor, the 5ins wall plate is visible on the south side and was infilled beneath it with large daub panels.  The eastern tie-beam is 5ins deep and has been cut through to provide a doorway into the next bay.  The eastern external face of bay 2 is heavily weathered and must have been an external wall for many years.  The original roof structure of this bay cannot be determined as the modern extension to the north has replaced the original roof timbers.

 

Bay 3

The bay continues the ground floor width of bay 2 but is only 9ft long.  The bay has been attached to the eastern frame of bay 2 and generally uses lighter timbers than bays 1 and 2.  The tie-beam is only 4ins deep and much of the timber is reused.  The ceiling height has not been raised in this bay and remains at only 5ft 6ins, although the floor has been lowered in the modern period to compensate. 

 

There are many visible beams on the ground floor including a rough axial beam in the centre of the bay; this has small stave holes all along the centre of it for a division below this beam.  Despite the presence of an axial beam, the surviving floor joists span from frame to frame rather than being joined into the axial beam.

The east wall of this bay has bowed outwards and is supported by a brick buttress.  As mentioned earlier, the end frame is made up of large square panels.  There is no evidence for the fenestration at this end.

 

The tie-beam in the end frame is joined into the wall plate rather than sitting on top of it.  The roof is half hipped above the end frame.

 

Discussion and Conclusion

The property was initially a single bay dwelling probably constructed in the mid 17^th century with a brick stack.  The fact that the purlins reach past the face of the chimney stack despite it being staggered back indicates that the stack was in place when the roof was initially constructed.  The presence of a first floor hearth integrated into the single stack indicates that the whole of the bay was originally floored; this is supported by the floor joists being pegged into both sides of the transverse beam.  

 

Access to the first floor was probably via a ladder on the east side of the chimney.  The position of the external doorway(s) cannot be determined absolutely, but the doorway in the east wall at the north end could have been original and later used for access into the east extension.  Once bay 2 had been added, it is likely that there would have been another door cut into the west wall of bay 1, but there are no surviving timbers in this position to prove or disprove it.  Although there is no surviving evidence, the ground floor hearth must have been used for cooking in this incredibly small dwelling.

 

After the initial construction, a single bay (bay 2) was added as a face-wing to the east side of the original bay.  This provided a further single open room (with a low ceiling height) on the ground floor and another on the first floor.  The style of this extension best matches an extension being added in the early 18^th century.

 

Considering the amount of weathering on the eastern external face of this extension and the style of the timbering it is likely that the next bay was added in the late 1700’s.   The space on the ground floor was divided into two and the heavier floor joists suggest that the upper floor may have been used for storage.

 

Quest since the 18^th century

In 1761 the property appears on Clayton’s map of the Cottages on the Commons of Bletchingley as plots 13 amounting to 1a 0r 1p, in the occupation of W Potter.  The most likely candidate for W Potter is William Potter born in Horne about 1730, the son of Edward Potter and his wife Mary née Roffey.  William may have been related to J Potter, who occupied the property known today as Briar Cottage (see below) situated to the south of Quest and west of Cherry Tree Farm, but it has so far proved impossible to link them.

 

In 1841 the cottage that is today known as Quest was in the ownership of William Kenrick and the tenancy of John Daniels who also held land owned by Mary Stenning that centred on what is today known as Kingswood Farm to the northwest of Quest.  The following table shows the apportionment held by John Daniels in the southwest corner of Frogit Heath in 1841.

 

 

Field no.	Description	Acreage
647	Meadow	01. 03. 07
648	Pasture	00. 02. 22
649	Cottage and Garden [original and current house]	00. 02. 04
650	Orchard and Meadow	00. 01. 05
651	Meadow	00. 01. 14
652	Pasture	01. 01. 00
653	Arable	02. 02. 13
Total		07. 01. 23

 

John Daniels

John Daniels was born in Burstow, Surrey, on 20^th March 1796, the son of Thomas Daniels and his wife Mary née Mills.  John married Elizabeth Buckland in Horne on 19^th June 1824; Elizabeth having been born in December 1802/January 1803, the daughter of James and Mary Buckland of Horne.

 

John and Elizabeth Daniels had at least nine children, including: Thomas born in 1926, Amelia born in 1828, George born in 1831, Ann born in 1834, Amy born in 1835, Hester born in 1836, Mary born in 1839, Elizabeth born in 1841 and Emily Jane born in 1842. 

 

In 1841 John Daniels and his family were occupying what became known as Quest; John listed as a farmer.  In 1851 John Daniels, still working as a farmer, was still in the occupation of the property, although his wife Elizabeth had died in 1847.  Living in the property with John were seven of his children, two of which were married with their own families, including; Thomas working as a labourer, together with his wife Ellen née Kenward and their daughter Louise, and Amelia recorded as housekeeper, together with her husband Robert Kenward and their son William.  Also living in the household were William Leigh employed as a house servant and Edward Daniels (relationship not given but probably John’s nephew, son of his brother Edward) working as a labourer.  As a point of interest, the Kenward family lived to the west of East Park Lane, near the land that John Daniels was holding in 1841, and Ellen Daniels née Kenward and Robert Kenward were sister and brother.

 

John Daniels was succeeded at Quest by James Walls sometime between 1851 and 1855.

 

James Walls

James Walls was born in 1822 the son of James Walls and his wife Elizabeth née Jenner, and married Sarah Ann Wren on 19^th October 1850.  Sarah had been born about 1820, the daughter of Charles Wren and his wife Elizabeth née Wallis, Charles being the blacksmith at the Woodcock forge in 1861 [for further information about the Wren family see Handout, Golards Farm, SJC 11/07].  James and Sarah appear to have only had a daughter, Elizabeth Jane, born in 1854. 

 

In 1851 James and Sarah were living at Woodcock forge where James was a farm labourer, moving to the property now known as Quest, formerly Yew Tree Cottage, by 1855 where he remained until his death.  Sarah died in 1885 and was buried at St John’s Church, Felbridge, and in 1889 James married Hannah Hill who had been born about 1823 in Brighton.  James Walls died from Quest in 1892 and by 1901 Hannah had been succeeded by Samuel Anscombe.

 

Samuel Anscombe

Samuel James Anscombe was born in Brighton about 1873, the son of Samuel Allen Anscombe and his wife Elizabeth née Wilson.  Samuel James Anscombe married Elizabeth Mary Drury in 1897, Elizabeth having been born in Brighton in 1873, the daughter of George and Harriet Drury.  Samuel and Elizabeth had at least one child, Benjamin George born in 1901 in Newchapel, Surrey.

 

In 1891 Samuel was living with his widowed mother Elizabeth at 29, Red Cross Street, Brighton, Samuel working as a painter and paper-hanger.  By 1901 Samuel had moved to Frogit Heath with his wife and was living at Quest.  In 1901, Quest, one of the original three cottages referred to in the survey of the bounds of the land held by Bletchingley in 1681/5, was known as Yew Tree Cottage.  By 1911 Samuel Anscombe and his family had moved from Quest being succeeded by Henry Edward William Barnes, the property being described as containing four rooms, plus a kitchen.

 

Henry Barnes

Henry Edward William Barnes was the son of Edward and Mary Barnes who occupied Cherry Tree Farm between 1880 and 1913 (see above).  Henry married Bertha Jane Belton in 1901; Bertha having been born in 1883, the daughter of George and Eliza Belton.  Henry and Bertha had at least eleven children, including; Edward William born in 1903, Bertha Ivy born in 1904, Harry G born in 1911, Annie Amy born in 1915, William T born in 1918, May C born in 1919, Victor J born in 1922, Margaret born in 1922, Royna M born in 1923, Ronald T H born in 1924 and Frederick E born in 1925.  The births of the first four children, and Royna were registered in Godstone, all the remaining children were registered in East Preston, Sussex; possibly imply the family had moved from the Horne area by 1918.  Unfortunately, it has not yet been possible to determine who succeeded Henry Barnes; however, by 1936 the property was in the occupation of Edwin Martin who also held Cherry Tree Farm (see above) and land adjoining Briar Cottage.

 

In 1936, Quest, then under its name of Yew Tree Farm, was put up for auction as part of the break up and sale of the West Park estate, being described as:

Lot 49

Yew Tree Farm

      Area: 4a 1r 29p

     

A Cottage Holding

situated in the private road between the main Lingfield-Crawley Road and Bones Lane.

 

Yew Tree Cottage

which takes its name from the fine yew trees guarding it, stands back from the road and is brick-built. Tile-hung and tiled, part of the walls being half timbered.  It contains:- Living Room with open beamed fireplace; large Larder or Dairy with concrete floor and beamed ceiling; Scullery, fitted sink and copper, and an oak Staircase leading to a Landing Bedroom and Two other Bedrooms partly oak floored.  Outside are iron-roofed Wood shed, EC and Two brick, timber and tiled Pigsties.  Well Water.  In addition to a large Garden, the Lot is divided into Four Pasture Fields.

 

At the time of sale, Yew Tree Cottage was under the tenancy of Edwin Martin who also held Cherry Tree Farm (see above) and unfortunately it has not been established who was occupying Yew Tree Cottage at the time of sale, nor who purchased Yew Tree Cottage.  However, sometime after its purchase, the cottage became known as Quest Cottage and was sympathetically extended to the north, using reclaimed timbers, clay tiles and mellow brickwork.  This extension created an extra reception room and hall on the ground floor and an en-suite bedroom on the first floor.

 

In 2000 the property, by then known simply as Quest, was again on the market, the sales particulars noting that:

 

The history of the property dates back over the centuries when it was known as Yew Tree Farm because of an ancient yew tree in the grounds.

 

It formed part of the West Park Estate which was eventually divided in the 1930’s.

 

Over time, the property was significantly extended to match the original features.

 

Leisure Room

To one side an attractive brick built leisure room was constructed with ground floor and first floor rooms and this has been used for residential purposes.

 

The main building provides a living room with an inglenook fireplace, a dining room, a study, a kitchen with utility section and a WC.

 

Upstairs there are five bedrooms and two bathrooms.

 

Outside there is a double garage which has been rebuilt, a workshop-storage shed, an old block-work stable a former turnout paddock, two glass houses and an implement shed.

 

A short distance from the house is a sunken swimming pool plus a brick and tiled changing room and there is also a tennis court in need of resurfacing.

         

The gardens and grounds provide a delightful setting for Quest.

 

There are lawns, shaped beds and borders, a rockery, a York stone terrace, an informal area laid to grass, a paddock and a further field, in all about 5 ½ acres.

 

Until recently, Quest, in its rural setting, was operating as a family run Guest House offering bed and breakfast.  However, this business has now ceased and Quest has reverted to being just a family home.

 

Today Quest remains little changed since 2000 and is one of the three original cottages of the enclosures of the mid 1600’s, which, together with Cherry Tree Farm, the site of Cottage C and Quarry Farm, formed Clayton’s ancient enclosure on Frogit Heath.

 

Briar Cottage

This property, (Cottage G), situated to the south of Quest, was probably the Taylor copyhold referred to on the back of the Cottager’s list of 1676 and possibly one of the three cottages and enclosures recorded in the 1681/5 survey of the bounds of the land held by Bletchingley. 

 

Briar Cottage, formerly Dennis Villa, was suggested to have been built in the late 17^th century by Peter Gray; describing the property as ‘Brick and tile-hung two-bay end-chimney cottage, perhaps originally framed; stone base to stack’.  Unfortunately, access has not yet been gained for a more detailed interpretation of the structure. 

 

In 1761 the property appears on Clayton’s map of the Cottages on the Commons of Bletchingley as plots 14 amounting to 3a 1r 21p, in the occupation of J Potter.  Unfortunately it has not yet been possible to establish who J Potter was as there were three possible candidates in the area in 1761, two James’ and a John. 

 

Briar Cottage since the 18^th Century

By 1841 the cottage was in ownership of William Kenrick and the occupation of Abraham Brunt.  The following table shows the tithe apportionment held by Abraham Brunt in the southwest corner of Frogit Heath, note the holding was some what smaller than in 1761 when held by J Potter.

Field no.	Description	Acreage
654	Meadow	00. 01. 24
656	Cottage and Garden [original and current house]	00. 01. 26
657	Meadow	01. 00. 04
Total		01. 03. 14

 

Abraham Brunt

Abraham Brunt was born in 1788 in Linton in Craven, Grassington, Yorkshire, the son of Abraham Brunt and his wife Elizabeth née Mongham.  It is not known what brought Abraham south, but he married Jane Page in Horne on 19^th November 1820; Jane having been born in 1790 the daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Page, and therefore sister of Elizabeth Dearling née Page of Quarry Farm (see below).

 

Abraham and Jane had at least seven children including; Abraham born about 1822, Thomas born in 1823 (whose widow Mary was occupying Cherry Tree Farm Cottage in 1871 see above), Elizabeth born in 1825, George born in 1826, Charles born in 1829, Mary born in 1832 and Jane born in 1834.

 

In 1823, Abraham was recorded as a coachman of Horne, and was then recorded as a labourer until 1841 when he appears in the census as a carrier, in the occupation of what became known as Briar Cottage.  In 1851, still in occupation of Briar Cottage, Abraham was recorded as a farmer with thirteen acres which had increased to sixteen acres by 1871, although the farm was being run by his grandson, Frederick, the son of Thomas Brunt and his first wife Harriet (for further details see Cherry Tree Farm Cottage above) who was also living at Briar Cottage with his wife Elizabeth (born about 1848) and their one year old son, John born in 1871.

 

Abraham died very shortly after the census, in the summer of 1871 and Jane died in the spring of 1872, aged eighty-one, and Briar Cottage was taken over by Henry Humphrey. 

 

Henry Humphrey

Henry Humphrey had been born in 1860, the base son of Esther Humphrey, being christened in Lingfield, aged one, on 26^th May 1861.  By 1871 Henry had been adopted by Benjamin and Sarah Gibbs and was living as part of their family at Great Farthingale, Lingfield.  Henry Humphrey married Harriet Titchener in 1879; Harriet having been born in 1859, the daughter of James and Mary Titchener of Lingfield.  Henry and Harriet had at least three children, Rosina Mercy, born in 1879, Henrietta born in 1882 and Henry born in 1885.  Unfortunately Henry Humphrey senior died in 1888 and Harriet and their family moved to Byers Lane, Lingfield, and were succeeded at Briar Cottage by John Dennis.

 

John Dennis

John Dennis was born about 1818 in the Reigate area.  In 1851 John Dennis and his wife Mary Ann (no marriage date or surname yet established) were lodging with James Cooke in household 141, part of Reigate Foreign, Surrey.  Mary Ann had been born in Reigate about 1821.  John and Mary Ann had at least seven children, including: John born in 1845, Mary Ann born in 1846, George born in 1850, William born in 1853, Emily born in 1854, Ann Dorothea born in 1857 and Bertha born in 1863.

 

From the census entries, John Dennis began work as a bricklayer’s labourer becoming a bricklayer by 1851.  He remained a bricklayer until sometime between 1881 and 1891 when he moved from the Reigate area to Frogit Heath, changing his occupation to carpenter.  It was during the occupation of John Dennis that the cottage became known as Dennis Villa, the name it was still known by in 1936 before being re-named Briar Cottage.

 

John Dennis died in 1901 and was succeeded at Dennis Villa by Henry Maynard.

 

Henry Maynard

Henry Maynard was born about 1863 the son of Henry Maynard and his wife Eleanor née Humphrey.  Henry married Eliza Wallis in 1891; Eliza having been born in 1857, the daughter of John and Susannah Wallis of Lingfield.  Henry and Eliza had at least five children including, Ethel born in 1892, Ellen Susannah born in 1893, Frederick born in 1894, Lillian Alice born in 1896 and Dorothy Fanny born in 1902.

 

In 1881 Henry Maynard was working as an agricultural labourer and was lodging with George Joslin and his family at West Park Cottages.  By 1891 Henry was working as a bricklayer and was living with his widowed mother and brother William at Branford, Horne.  By 1901 Henry and Eliza had moved to Dennis Villa (later Briar Cottage) where Henry was still working as a bricklayer, being joined by his son Frederick by 1911 who was working as a bricklayer’s labourer.  In 1911 the cottage was described as having four rooms.  Unfortunately it has not yet been possible to determine when the Maynard family left Dennis Villa but by 1936 the cottage was in the occupation of George Maddison.

 

In 1936 Briar Cottage, still known as Dennis Villa, was put up for auction as part of the break up and sale of the West Park estate, the sales catalogue describing the property as:

Lot 50

Dennis Villa

Newchapel

Area: 0a 1r 3p

A Picturesque Cottage

Which adjoins the preceding Lots and is of brick, tile-hung and tiled construction, recently re-decorated and containing: - Living room with open fireplace and large cupboard; Dining Room, and Scullery with beamed ceiling and fitted sink; above are Two Bedrooms, one of which is oak floored, and has a large cupboard by the chimney.  Outside Wash-house with copper, and EC.  Pump Water Supply.  Cesspool Drainage.  There are Two Sheds in the Garden.

Note – The bathroom fitments in the Wash-house are claimed by the tenant.

 

Unfortunately it has not been possible to ascertain who George Maddison was, although whilst he lived at Briar Cottage he was the Frogit Heath ranger and was still in occupation at the cottage in the late 1940’s. 

 

In 1987, Briar Cottage was put on the market, the sale particulars describing it as:

Briar Cottage

A picture-book rose-covered cottage believed to date from the 16^th or 17^th century yet with modern amenities such as a heated swimming pool is for sale in Newchapel.

 

Briar Cottage in West Park Road is a Grade II listed building with a wealth of exposed beams.  It has a lounge, dining room, and a study or fourth bedroom, plus a well fitted kitchen and breakfast room.

 

Half and acre of gardens surround the cottage including the secluded pool in a leisure area with a barbeque.  There is a double garage.

 

Today Briar Cottage remains little changed since 1987 and still retains its charm as a picturesque cottage, one of the three original cottages of the enclosures of the mid 1600’s that, together with Cherry Tree Farm, the site of Cottage C and Quarry Farm formed Clayton’s ancient enclosure on Frogit Heath.

 

Quarry Farm

Quarry Farm was formed from an enclosure of Frogit Heath made between 1753 and 1761, together with a small section of the original enclosures.  The date is quite precise as the buildings and surrounding fields do not appear on the Rocque map but do appear on Clayton’s map of the Cottages on the Commons of Bletchingley of 1761.

 

In 1761 the enclosure was in the occupation of the Campfield family, being listed on Clayton’s map of the Cottagers of the Commons of Bletchingley as plots 10 amounting to 3a 3r 5p.  Unfortunately only the surname was used on the map therefore it is has not yet been possible to determine any further details on this Campfield, except that it must have been this Campfield who had enclosed this part of Frogit Heath. 

 

The 1761 Cottages map depicts the dwelling on the site of the current farm buildings to the south of the current house, although (again from map evidence) there is a building on the site of the currant dwelling by 1795.  Unfortunately it has not yet been possible to determine whether there have been two cottages on this site or whether there was a cartographer’s error on the 1761 map.  However, the current property was also surveyed by Peter Gray who concluded that Quarry Farm was a ‘Brick and tile hung two bay, end chimney cottage probably with an outshot that has been built up.  Dating to the mid 18^th century’.  This concurs with map evidence and would suggest that the current house was the original dwelling for the enclosure.

 

From the Horne land tax it is known that William Dearling held what became Quarry Farm from at least 1793, paying 10s 10d tax, implying that he had succeeded Campfield at the property by this date.  In 1798 William Dearling had been succeeded at the farm by Robert Dearling when the tax was increased to 12s 6d.  Robert Dearling was succeed by ‘Widow Dearling’ in 1802  who remained there until 1815 when James Cooper is listed as paying the 12s 6d tax.  James Cooper was still paying the 12s 6d for the property until the end of the land tax records in 1831 and was still in occupation in 1841.

 

Dearling family

Unfortunately it has not been possible to determine any information on William Dearling but to have been succeeded at Quarry Farm by Robert Dearling would suggest that the two were in some way related. 

 

Although it has not yet been possible to determine the date or place of birth of Robert Dearling, it is known that he married Elizabeth Page in Godstone in 1771.  Elizabeth had been born in 1783, the daughter of Thomas Page and his wife Elizabeth née Gibb of Worth.  As such, Elizabeth was the sister of Jane Page who married Abraham Brunt and lived in Briar Cottage between 1841 and 1871 (see above). 

 

Robert and Elizabeth Dearling had at least five children, all born in Horne, including; William born about 1778, George born about 1781, Rebecca born about 1785, Ann born about 1787 and Hannah born about in 1790.

 

Robert Dearling died in 1801; therefore ‘Widow Dearling’ who appears in the land tax records is his wife Elizabeth who remained at Quarry Farm until 1815 when the property was taken over by her son-in-law James Cooper.

 

James Cooper

In 1841 James Cooper, listed as a farmer, was occupying Quarry Farm.  James had been born about 1786 in Surrey, and married Hannah Dearling on 28^th July 1807; Hannah being the daughter of Robert and Elizabeth Dearling (see above).  James and Hannah had at least one child, John who was born about 1810 in Charlwood, Surrey, and who was occupying Cottage F (see above) in 1841.

 

Quarry Farm and the current house

In 1841 Quarry Farm was in the ownership of William Kenrick and the tenancy of James Cooper, encompassing the former site of Cottage C (see above) possibly dating from the 1600’s.   The following table shows the apportionment held by James Cooper in the southwest corner of Frogit Heath in 1841.

Field no.	Description	Acreage
639	Meadow	00. 02. 35
640	Arable	01. 02. 00
641	Meadow and Orchard	01. 02. 30
660	Meadow	00. 01. 30
661	Meadow [former site of Cottage C]	02. 00. 01
662	House and Premises [current house]	00. 01. 12
663	Arable	00. 03. 10
Total		07. 01. 19

 

From the Tithe it has been established that James Cooper was the tenant of what became known as Quarry Farm and from the census records it is evident that he remained there until sometime between 1861 and 1871 when he was succeeded by William Wallen. 

 

William Wallen

William Wallen was born about 1811 in Oxfordshire but unfortunately little else is known about him or his family.  In 1871 William appears in the census records as a farmer of Frogwood Heath, the location matching Quarry Farm.  Living with William was his wife Sophia born about 1820 and their daughter Amelia, born about 1858, both born in Oxfordshire.  William Wallen remained at Quarry Farm until sometime between 1871 and 1881 when he was succeeded by William Skinner.

 

William Skinner

William Skinner was born about 1839, the son of William Skinner and his wife, Ann née Stripp.  Ann had been born about 1817, the daughter of Richard Stripp and his wife Sarah née Sargent.  Besides William, William and Ann had at least six other children, including John born in 1845, Benjamin born in 1849, Frederick born in 1851, Sarah born in 1854, James born in 1857 and Ellen born in 1859.

 

William Skinner, junior, married Charlotte Wicking [Wicken] in 1870.  Charlotte had been born in 1847, the daughter of Thomas Wicking and his wife Jane née Jupp.  As a point of interest Charlotte was the sister of Caroline Wicking who, in 1878, was running the Cherry Tree Beer Shop about half a mile to the east of Quarry Farm on the Godstone section of  on Frogit Heath [for further information about the Wicking family see Eating and drinking Establishments of Felbridge Pt. IV, SJC 01/10].

 

William and Charlotte Skinner had at least ten children, including; Henry born in 1869, Elizabeth born in 1870 but who sadly died shortly after birth, William born in 1874, Amy born in 1875, Annie Jane born in 1878, Alice born in 1880, Alfred John born in 1882, George born in 1885, Ada Mary born in 1887 and Sibella Catherine born in 1890.

 

After the death of William Skinner in 1907, Charlotte continued to live at Quarry Farm and in 1911 is recorded as farmer.  Living with her was her son Alfred working as a cowman, together with daughters Annie who was the housekeeper, and Sibella listed as ‘at home helping’, and the census of 1911 describes Quarry Farm house as containing five rooms, plus a kitchen.

 

On the death of Charlotte in 1926, it would appear that her son George took over the tenancy and was in occupation of Quarry Farm at the time of sale as part of the break up of the West Park estate in 1936.  The sale catalogue describing the farm as:

Lot 47             

Quarry Farm

Newchapel

          Area: 6a 1r 27p

         

A Capital Small Holding

adjoining Frogit Heath on the main Crawley-Lingfield Road

half-a-mile from Newchapel Corner.

 

The House

is brick built, tile-hung and tiled and contains;- Sitting Room with beamed ceiling; Living Room with recessed chimneypiece and beamed ceiling; Scullery, fitted with sink and copper, and large Larder.  An Oak Staircase leads to a square Landing used as a Bedroom and Two other Bedrooms, one of which has an oak floor.

 

Outside E.C.  Well Water Supply.

 

The buildings

comprise:- brick and tiled Dairy; Shed of similar construction; timber and tiled Cart Shed; Two-Stall Stable; Cow House for 3 with partially channelled floor, and a Pigsty.

 

Surrounding the House is an enclosure of Orchard and Four useful Pastures and Company’s Water is available in the main road.

 

Having been altered several times during its two hundred year existence, Quarry Farm house was given a Grade II Listing in 1984 being recorded as:

Quarry Farm House

House. 16^th century and later.  Timber framed with whitewashed brick cladding below, tile hung above; plain tiled roofs hipped to left and half-hipped over right hand range.  2 ranges with one set back.  2 storeys, brick dentil band over ground floor to left.  Dentilled end stack to left, larger stack at junction of two ranges to right of centre.  Irregular fenestration with 2 casement windows to first floor left, one on first floor right.  Ribbed door in gabled brick porch to ground floor centre of left hand range.  Right hand return front, jettied on first floor with wooden brace to angle; single storey wing to rear left with glazed extension to right.

 

In 1999, Quarry Farm was put up for sale by informal tender and the sale particulars, if a little inaccurate, state that it was 16^th century, although it is now known that the dwelling was not built until some time between 1753 and 1795 making it 18^th century.  The sale particulars continue:

 

Quarry Farm

The period house, with a wealth of exposed beams and mellow elevations of whitened tile hung brick under a tiled roof, has oil fired central heating.

 

Accommodation is arranged on two floors.  Downstairs the drawing room, with an inglenook fireplace, leads through an opening into the dining room.

 

There is a sitting room/bedroom 5, sun room, shower room/cloakroom, fitted kitchen with built in electric hob and double oven and a small utility room.

 

Upstairs are two bedrooms, with a dressing room or third bedroom off one of them, small fourth bedroom or sewing room and tiled bathroom.

 

The extensive outbuildings include a single garage, and a bothy consisting of a bedsit and kitchen area in need of modernisation.

 

In the stable yard are ten stables, a pony box, feed room, fodder store and tack room and a pole barn.

 

The land surrounding Quarry Farm is divided into fenced paddocks.  There is also a garden and domestic oil tank and boiler room adjoining the house.

 

Today the land holding of Quarry Farm consists of just over eight acres, encompassing the site of Cottage C that unfortunately no longer stands, together with Quarry Farm House built in the mid to late 1700’s on the enclosure of Frogit Heath that was made sometime between 1753 and 1761 by the Campfield family, the last encroachment of Frogit Heath to complete Clayton’s ancient enclosure.

 

Conclusion

It is very rare for 17^th century single bay cottages to survive as they were often massively extended or destroyed when considered unsuitable for later period dwellings.  In this small area of land we have discovered a pair of surviving thirteen foot square single bay cottages retaining many of their original features, thus enabling a greater understanding of both properties and their inter-relationship. As a result it has been possible to pull together a potential phasing to the encroachment of Froggit Heath.  

 

Bibliography

Enclosure Act of Frogit Heath, 1810, Bletchingley Court Book, 447/2, SHC

Handout, Eating and Drinking Establishments of Felbrdge, Pt. IV, SJC 01/10, FHGWS

Godstone by U Lambert

Handout, Settlement Patterns of Felbridge, JC 01/09, FHGWS

Place names of Surrey

Clayton/Morris/Campfield Lease, 1676, G3/1/55, SHC

Handout, Michaelmas Farm, JIC/SJC 07/09, FHGWS

List of Cottagers on Frogwood Heath and Hedgecourt Heath belonging to Bletchingley Manor, K60/1/14, SHC

The Oxford Companion to Local and Family History by D Hey

Horne Parish Registers

Surrey Marriage index

IGI

Enclosure Act for Frogit Heath, 1810, K61/3/13, SHC

Bletchingley by U Lambert

Handout, West Park Estate, SJC 04/99, FHGWS

West Park estate sale catalogue, 1936, FHA

Notes on Newchapel by Les Oliver, FHA

Clayton’s Cottages on the Common map, 1761, K61/3/2, SHC

Houses and Cottages of Britain, R. Brunskill

Free BMD

Census records, 1841, 1851, 8161, 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901, 1911

Rocque map, 1768

Godley & Gream map, 1795, FHA

O/S map 1809, FHA

Horne Tithe map and apportionment, SHC

O/S map 1875, FHA

O/S map 1895, FHA

PO Directory, 1878

O/S map 1895, FHA

Kelly’s Directory, 1918-1934, SHC

Horne Land Tax, QS 6/7, SHC

Horne by Peter Gray

Briar Cottage sales particulars, 1987, FHA

Quarry Farm listing, 1884, IoE no. 287393, FHA

Quarry Farm sale particulars, 1999, FHA

Handout, Golards Farm, SJC 11/07, FHWS

Quest sale particulars, 2000, FHA