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Ardgay House And its Owners Research and photos Peter and Anastasia Hatvany September 2017 Photos from 1969 Sales Particulars uness stated otherwise (courtesy Peter and Anastasia Hatvany) Many of us would like to build our own house precisely the way that suits our family needs and our life styles. Few have the opportunity but Captain Thomas Woodgate of the Royal Navy did just that at Ardgay House, Middlehill. |
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Thomas Woodgate (1814 - 1894)
Captain Thomas Woodgate did an amazingly risky thing when he built Ardgay House without owning the land on which it stood, as he was a tenant of the Northey family. The stupidity of such an action would make any advising solicitor squirm. There are reasons, however, which are explained in the conveyance of the land two years after the house was built.[1]
After the death at Hazelbury in 1826 of William Northey (the fourth, sometimes known as Wicked Billy by the family), the family estates were put into disarray because he left no children to inherit.[2] Following a family dispute he left his Box estates in trust split between tenants for life in possession and tenants for life in the remainder.
By the 1860s the death of several trustees had seriously complicated legal agreement with the family and the active trustees, Lieutenant Colonel William Brook Northey of Claverton Manor, Somerset; Edward Richard Northey, Esq, of Woodcote House, Epsom; and Lucy Northey of St Catherine's, Regents Park, London. But the deceased trustees and beneficiaries were numerous, including Edward Northey, Richard Northey Hopkins, Charlotte Northey, Mary Northey (later Knight) and James Murray Northey and their heirs. No wonder the conveyance of the land was a complicated matter.
Thomas was fascinating man. He served in the navy in a period of peace called Pax Britannia when there was no significant naval action. It wasn't his military career that was interesting but rather his political career. He was a staunch supporter of the Conservative Party in Box at a time when Disraeli was inventing One Nation Conservatism. As Prime Minister, Disraeli, feared that the 1867 Reform Act would wipe out the Conservative Party as it enfranchised all male heads of households, many of whom were Liberal supporters. Thomas Woodgate was part of the reforming ideology to represent Conservatism to people of all status.
In Box he was a well-known person for his work with the Loyal Northey Lodge of Oddfellows organising the Box Fetes. But his main claim to fame was his work on behalf of all people through his petitioning of the Great Western Railway urging them to improve safety facilities at Box Station and to install a footbridge across the rail track there. It was a considerable individual effort in the years before the formation of the Parish Council at a time when petitions by villagers carried no legal status.
Captain Thomas Woodgate did an amazingly risky thing when he built Ardgay House without owning the land on which it stood, as he was a tenant of the Northey family. The stupidity of such an action would make any advising solicitor squirm. There are reasons, however, which are explained in the conveyance of the land two years after the house was built.[1]
After the death at Hazelbury in 1826 of William Northey (the fourth, sometimes known as Wicked Billy by the family), the family estates were put into disarray because he left no children to inherit.[2] Following a family dispute he left his Box estates in trust split between tenants for life in possession and tenants for life in the remainder.
By the 1860s the death of several trustees had seriously complicated legal agreement with the family and the active trustees, Lieutenant Colonel William Brook Northey of Claverton Manor, Somerset; Edward Richard Northey, Esq, of Woodcote House, Epsom; and Lucy Northey of St Catherine's, Regents Park, London. But the deceased trustees and beneficiaries were numerous, including Edward Northey, Richard Northey Hopkins, Charlotte Northey, Mary Northey (later Knight) and James Murray Northey and their heirs. No wonder the conveyance of the land was a complicated matter.
Thomas was fascinating man. He served in the navy in a period of peace called Pax Britannia when there was no significant naval action. It wasn't his military career that was interesting but rather his political career. He was a staunch supporter of the Conservative Party in Box at a time when Disraeli was inventing One Nation Conservatism. As Prime Minister, Disraeli, feared that the 1867 Reform Act would wipe out the Conservative Party as it enfranchised all male heads of households, many of whom were Liberal supporters. Thomas Woodgate was part of the reforming ideology to represent Conservatism to people of all status.
In Box he was a well-known person for his work with the Loyal Northey Lodge of Oddfellows organising the Box Fetes. But his main claim to fame was his work on behalf of all people through his petitioning of the Great Western Railway urging them to improve safety facilities at Box Station and to install a footbridge across the rail track there. It was a considerable individual effort in the years before the formation of the Parish Council at a time when petitions by villagers carried no legal status.
Map based on the Tithe Apportionment Map of 1840 showing reference 205 Little Hill Close and reference 206 Great Hill Close, in the conveyance of 13 May 1865.
In 1861 Thomas lived next door at Heleigh House (then called Newton House) with wife, Louisa Hay Walker, two infants and four servants. In 1863 he built (and presumably named) Ardgay, which has a date stone of 1863 on one wing, still with his two children and four servants. We haven't discovered the connection between Thomas or his wife with Ardgay, a small village in Sutherland, 30 miles north of Inverness, in Scottish Highlands. The house was impressive: a dwelling house, entrance lodge, coach house, stables and other outbuildings.[3] It is clear where Thomas derived his wealth to built such a grand house as Ardgay. He was the younger brother of Francis Woodgate, farmer and landed proprietor from Seal, Sevenoaks, Kent, who lived in some style with his family and eleven servants. We might imagine that Thomas inherited family money which he used in Ardgay's construction.
His death in May 1894 prompted a generous tribute from Bath Chronicle.[4] The gallant officer, who had been long resident in this neighbourhood, was a sturdy supporter of the Conservative cause, which had no more loyal advocate and earnest worker. He had a warm and generous nature, which prompted him to good and kindly deeds and by those who knew him he was held in great esteem.
Ardgay House
We get descriptions of Ardgay from later sales details. The house is what Thomas Woodgate conceived and planned: a beautifully appointed country house standing in some 9 acres in lovely country.[5] Above all he wanted a family home and the rooms are all of good height with large sunny windows and the house internally has a most attractive sense of space and light. It still retains those essential characteristics.
The position of the house half way to Middlehill offers wonderful views which Thomas incorporated into the property with a garden terrace over looking the formal landscaping and extensive views to the south of Kingsdown. The field referenced 206 in the 1865 conveyance was integral to the view and at first rented, later bought freehold.
His death in May 1894 prompted a generous tribute from Bath Chronicle.[4] The gallant officer, who had been long resident in this neighbourhood, was a sturdy supporter of the Conservative cause, which had no more loyal advocate and earnest worker. He had a warm and generous nature, which prompted him to good and kindly deeds and by those who knew him he was held in great esteem.
Ardgay House
We get descriptions of Ardgay from later sales details. The house is what Thomas Woodgate conceived and planned: a beautifully appointed country house standing in some 9 acres in lovely country.[5] Above all he wanted a family home and the rooms are all of good height with large sunny windows and the house internally has a most attractive sense of space and light. It still retains those essential characteristics.
The position of the house half way to Middlehill offers wonderful views which Thomas incorporated into the property with a garden terrace over looking the formal landscaping and extensive views to the south of Kingsdown. The field referenced 206 in the 1865 conveyance was integral to the view and at first rented, later bought freehold.
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The interior of the house has little changed because the rooms are large enough to cope with modern open-plan aesthetics. But we might nowadays raise an eyebrow at the 1969 description of the Superbly fitted modern kitchen with the latest expensive equipment (which) has everything a fastidious housewife could desire. We can still appreciate on a lobby down a few steps the Gentleman's Cloakroom with basin (h & c) and WC.
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Arthur Penfold Ballard
Thomas' death triggered a dramatic change in the ownership of the property as he sought to avoid his only child, Louisa, inheriting absolutely. He set up a trust, giving his wife a life interest in the whole of his estate but conveying the property to trustees in contemplation of the marriage between Arthur Penfold Ballard and Louisa Woodgate.[6] We might speculate that the children challenged the will because in August 1897 the trustees took out a mortgage of £600 to be paid to Louisa on 14 February 1898.[7]
Three years after his death in August 1897, Miss Louisa married Arthur Penfold Ballard of Salt Lake City, who described himself as an American. The wedding was rather peculiar affair: very quiet .. no bridesmaids .. the bride was simply dressed.[8] The couple continued to live in the house with Louisa's mother, who appears to have had a life interest. Arthur Ballard was the son of George Henry Ballard of Sevenoaks, Kent and we might speculate that the couple had met in Sevenoaks, that possibly Arthur had converted to be a Mormon, disapproved of by Thomas, which would account for both the timing and simplicity of the wedding.[9]
On Mrs Louisa Hay Woodgate's death in May 1904 the house was put up for sale by auction, described as a great pride to the genial and respected gentleman who was its occupant for so long a period.[10] After the sale, the property was still let to Arthur and Louisa Ballard until they vacated it in 1913, when it was sold to a Dublin man Colonel Edward Macartney Filgate, son of the Registrar-General of Bombay, and his wife Bertha Eugenie Lomax.
Colonel Edward Macartney Filgate was a high profile man, correspondent to The Times supporting Volunteers in the army, and to the Manchester Courier challenging opponents of Irish Union.[11] He took out a mortgage of £3,000 from his wife and trustees but only owned the property for three years.[12] Money could have been a problem for them and they listed all the plants growing in the garden to charge the new owners for 200 small bunches of grapes, 1 bed of parsley, 140 violet plants, small bed of parsnips, 1 bed of turnip seed, potatoes about 2 sacks worth until it was sold to Victoria Margaret Read, wife of Colonel Marcus Rainsford.
Colonel Marcus Rainsford
Thereafter the house passed into the hands of another military man, Colonel Marcus Edward Read Rainsford, CBO, in 1918.[13] He had served in various military roles, including the Ashanti War on the Gold Coast (now called Ghana), the Boer War, and was Adjutant-General in Egypt. When he married Victoria Margaret Read in 1909 he included her name in his.
In Box Marcus was the founding President of the British Legion at the Comrades Club in 1921. He died in 1933, aged 80, and was buried in Ditteridge Church. His 69 year-old wife continued with a life interest at Ardgay livng there in 1939 with a single servant, a cook and letting the Lodge.[14] She continued to own it for over forty years until 1961.
William Henry and Dorothy Dotesio
The Dotesio family were well-known printers in Bradford-on-Avon, running a letter press, printers and bookseller and stationers business at Silver Street in 1891. They published the town directory, Dotesio's New Touring, Cycling and Rambling Road Map and other local commercial advertising booklets. They did very well without competition and relocated to the woollen factory at Greenland Mills, Bridge Street.
William Henry and his brother Eric Ben were sons of the founder, William Charles Dotesio. They were very well connected, pupils at King Edward's School, Bath, Past Masters in the Friendship and Unity (Bradford-on-Avon) Lodge, and keen rowers for the Bradford Rowing Club. And, of course, they took over the family business.
William Henry Dotesio and his wife Dorothy lived at Ardgay from 1961 until 1969, two years before William's death in Bath aged 70 years. Ardgay was purchased by Paul and Diana Hatvany in 1969. Paul, a chartered accountant, built up a computer and property business. They had three sons and the eldest, Peter and his family, took over the property in 2009.
Thomas' death triggered a dramatic change in the ownership of the property as he sought to avoid his only child, Louisa, inheriting absolutely. He set up a trust, giving his wife a life interest in the whole of his estate but conveying the property to trustees in contemplation of the marriage between Arthur Penfold Ballard and Louisa Woodgate.[6] We might speculate that the children challenged the will because in August 1897 the trustees took out a mortgage of £600 to be paid to Louisa on 14 February 1898.[7]
Three years after his death in August 1897, Miss Louisa married Arthur Penfold Ballard of Salt Lake City, who described himself as an American. The wedding was rather peculiar affair: very quiet .. no bridesmaids .. the bride was simply dressed.[8] The couple continued to live in the house with Louisa's mother, who appears to have had a life interest. Arthur Ballard was the son of George Henry Ballard of Sevenoaks, Kent and we might speculate that the couple had met in Sevenoaks, that possibly Arthur had converted to be a Mormon, disapproved of by Thomas, which would account for both the timing and simplicity of the wedding.[9]
On Mrs Louisa Hay Woodgate's death in May 1904 the house was put up for sale by auction, described as a great pride to the genial and respected gentleman who was its occupant for so long a period.[10] After the sale, the property was still let to Arthur and Louisa Ballard until they vacated it in 1913, when it was sold to a Dublin man Colonel Edward Macartney Filgate, son of the Registrar-General of Bombay, and his wife Bertha Eugenie Lomax.
Colonel Edward Macartney Filgate was a high profile man, correspondent to The Times supporting Volunteers in the army, and to the Manchester Courier challenging opponents of Irish Union.[11] He took out a mortgage of £3,000 from his wife and trustees but only owned the property for three years.[12] Money could have been a problem for them and they listed all the plants growing in the garden to charge the new owners for 200 small bunches of grapes, 1 bed of parsley, 140 violet plants, small bed of parsnips, 1 bed of turnip seed, potatoes about 2 sacks worth until it was sold to Victoria Margaret Read, wife of Colonel Marcus Rainsford.
Colonel Marcus Rainsford
Thereafter the house passed into the hands of another military man, Colonel Marcus Edward Read Rainsford, CBO, in 1918.[13] He had served in various military roles, including the Ashanti War on the Gold Coast (now called Ghana), the Boer War, and was Adjutant-General in Egypt. When he married Victoria Margaret Read in 1909 he included her name in his.
In Box Marcus was the founding President of the British Legion at the Comrades Club in 1921. He died in 1933, aged 80, and was buried in Ditteridge Church. His 69 year-old wife continued with a life interest at Ardgay livng there in 1939 with a single servant, a cook and letting the Lodge.[14] She continued to own it for over forty years until 1961.
William Henry and Dorothy Dotesio
The Dotesio family were well-known printers in Bradford-on-Avon, running a letter press, printers and bookseller and stationers business at Silver Street in 1891. They published the town directory, Dotesio's New Touring, Cycling and Rambling Road Map and other local commercial advertising booklets. They did very well without competition and relocated to the woollen factory at Greenland Mills, Bridge Street.
William Henry and his brother Eric Ben were sons of the founder, William Charles Dotesio. They were very well connected, pupils at King Edward's School, Bath, Past Masters in the Friendship and Unity (Bradford-on-Avon) Lodge, and keen rowers for the Bradford Rowing Club. And, of course, they took over the family business.
William Henry Dotesio and his wife Dorothy lived at Ardgay from 1961 until 1969, two years before William's death in Bath aged 70 years. Ardgay was purchased by Paul and Diana Hatvany in 1969. Paul, a chartered accountant, built up a computer and property business. They had three sons and the eldest, Peter and his family, took over the property in 2009.
Ardgay House was built two decades after the area of Middlehill was made more accessible by The Avenue joining the area to Box Railway Station. Thomas Woodgate, its creator, wanted to reflect the continuity, certainty and Imperial service prevalent in the late Victorian era. But those times were ended by the Great War and Ardgay now fulfils another of its functions as a delightful family home for Peter and Anastasia Hatvany.
Appendix
13 MAY 1865 Conveyance from Northeys to Commander Woodgate
And moreover that they the said parties hereto of the first part and every person or persons rightfully claiming through under or in trust for them or either of them or the said William Northey deceased will at all times hereafter at the request and charges of the said Thomas Woodgate his heirs and assigns make and execute and deliver all such further assurances as may be necessary for the more effectually conveying or assuring the said plot of land dwelling house buildings and hereditaments hereby granted and conveyed or intended so to be with the appurtenances to the uses aforesaid or otherwise in such manner as by the person or persons making such request or his or their counsel in the law shall be reasonably advised or required THIS LASTLY that neither of the said parties hereto of the first part or any person rightfully claiming through or in trust for them or either of them will at any time hereafter permit any dwellinghouse or any building other than a shed or Skilling for the use of cattle to be erected on any part of the piece of pasture land lying between the brook called Box Brook and the said land hereby conveyed nor any dwelling house except a cottage of an ornamental description or any other building except a shed or Skilling for use of cattle to be erected on any part of the small piece of pasture land lying between the said piece of pasture land hereinbefore mentioned and the road leading from Middlehill to the Box Railway Station.
13 MAY 1865 Conveyance from Northeys to Commander Woodgate
And moreover that they the said parties hereto of the first part and every person or persons rightfully claiming through under or in trust for them or either of them or the said William Northey deceased will at all times hereafter at the request and charges of the said Thomas Woodgate his heirs and assigns make and execute and deliver all such further assurances as may be necessary for the more effectually conveying or assuring the said plot of land dwelling house buildings and hereditaments hereby granted and conveyed or intended so to be with the appurtenances to the uses aforesaid or otherwise in such manner as by the person or persons making such request or his or their counsel in the law shall be reasonably advised or required THIS LASTLY that neither of the said parties hereto of the first part or any person rightfully claiming through or in trust for them or either of them will at any time hereafter permit any dwellinghouse or any building other than a shed or Skilling for the use of cattle to be erected on any part of the piece of pasture land lying between the brook called Box Brook and the said land hereby conveyed nor any dwelling house except a cottage of an ornamental description or any other building except a shed or Skilling for use of cattle to be erected on any part of the small piece of pasture land lying between the said piece of pasture land hereinbefore mentioned and the road leading from Middlehill to the Box Railway Station.
Conveyances in Deeds
1863 Ardgay House built
13 May 1865 Conveyance to Commander Woodgate from William Brook Northey, Edward Richard Northey and Lucy Northey of the land for £36 per annum (see appendix)
1881 Seven people in residence including three servants
8 May 1894 Captain Thomas Woodgate died; life interest inherited by widow Louisa Hay Woodgate
1897 Arthur Penfold Ballard married Louisa Woodgate, Thomas' daughter
24 May 1904 Louisa Hay Woodgate, senior, died; the property went into a trust for Louisa Ballard (nee Woodgate)
12 June 1911 indenture getting rid of £36 rent charges on Little and Great Hill Close
1 February 1913 Conveyance of Ardgay by Arthur and Louisa Ballard to Colonel Edward Macartney Filgate and his wife Bertha Eugenie; price £3,750
20 August 1916 Conveyance by Col and Mrs Macartney Filgate to Mrs Victoria Margaret Rainsford; price £4,000
30 November 1960 House auctioned by Jolly & Son Ltd with a small advertisement in Country Life, 17 November 1960
27 January 1961 Conveyance by Mrs Victoria Margaret Rainsford to William Henry and Dorothy Dotesio, price £7,125
1961 License from Sir Armand Northey re two driveways and access down footpath to bottom of garden. Cost 3s 6d per year
1 May 1969 Conveyance by William Henry and Dorothy Dotesio to Mrs Ruby Diana Hatvany
1985 Deed of gift to joint names Mr and Mrs Hatvany
1863 Ardgay House built
13 May 1865 Conveyance to Commander Woodgate from William Brook Northey, Edward Richard Northey and Lucy Northey of the land for £36 per annum (see appendix)
1881 Seven people in residence including three servants
8 May 1894 Captain Thomas Woodgate died; life interest inherited by widow Louisa Hay Woodgate
1897 Arthur Penfold Ballard married Louisa Woodgate, Thomas' daughter
24 May 1904 Louisa Hay Woodgate, senior, died; the property went into a trust for Louisa Ballard (nee Woodgate)
12 June 1911 indenture getting rid of £36 rent charges on Little and Great Hill Close
1 February 1913 Conveyance of Ardgay by Arthur and Louisa Ballard to Colonel Edward Macartney Filgate and his wife Bertha Eugenie; price £3,750
20 August 1916 Conveyance by Col and Mrs Macartney Filgate to Mrs Victoria Margaret Rainsford; price £4,000
30 November 1960 House auctioned by Jolly & Son Ltd with a small advertisement in Country Life, 17 November 1960
27 January 1961 Conveyance by Mrs Victoria Margaret Rainsford to William Henry and Dorothy Dotesio, price £7,125
1961 License from Sir Armand Northey re two driveways and access down footpath to bottom of garden. Cost 3s 6d per year
1 May 1969 Conveyance by William Henry and Dorothy Dotesio to Mrs Ruby Diana Hatvany
1985 Deed of gift to joint names Mr and Mrs Hatvany
References
[1] Conveyance 13 May 1865
[2] http://www.epsomandewellhistoryexplorer.org.uk/Northeys3.html
[3] Conveyance 13 May 1865
[4] The Bath Chronicle, 10 May 1894
[5] Sale Particulars 1969
[6] Conveyance 3 April 1894 and Indentures 23 August 1897 and 8 September 1897
[7] Indenture 14 August 1897
[8] The Bath Chronicle, 26 August 1897
[9] Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser, 4 September 1904
[10] The Bath Chronicle, 26 May 1904 and 20 October 1904
[11] Reported in Yorkshire Evening Post, 28 August 1908, and Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser,
8 October 1891
[12] Conveyance 3 February 1913
[13] The Wiltshire Times, 17 June 1933
[14] The Bath Chronicle, 16 September 1933 and 1939 Register
[1] Conveyance 13 May 1865
[2] http://www.epsomandewellhistoryexplorer.org.uk/Northeys3.html
[3] Conveyance 13 May 1865
[4] The Bath Chronicle, 10 May 1894
[5] Sale Particulars 1969
[6] Conveyance 3 April 1894 and Indentures 23 August 1897 and 8 September 1897
[7] Indenture 14 August 1897
[8] The Bath Chronicle, 26 August 1897
[9] Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser, 4 September 1904
[10] The Bath Chronicle, 26 May 1904 and 20 October 1904
[11] Reported in Yorkshire Evening Post, 28 August 1908, and Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser,
8 October 1891
[12] Conveyance 3 February 1913
[13] The Wiltshire Times, 17 June 1933
[14] The Bath Chronicle, 16 September 1933 and 1939 Register