Woodstock Cottages Early History Alan Payne and Stephen Bawtree May 2024
Contemporary Woodstock Cottages (courtesy Carol Payne)
Woodstock cottages are Grade II listed buildings dating from the early 1700s, which makes them some of the oldest vernacular, residential properties in Box. They are set at a peculiar angle to the road and have regularly been associated with the land behind them, almost as if they were dropped into the middle of it in times gone by. Even the name Woodstock (meaning a clearing in woods) hints of this earlier history when the cottages were outside the main village.
The siting of the cottages was probably influenced by making best use of the level land at the foot of the slope of the nearby Mill Lane, one of the oldest tracks in the village and recorded on the Allen maps of 1626. It is not clear if houses existed on the site at that time. By the 1700s we can see that two well-built cottages existed on the site with stone mullion windows and good quality walling. These original cottages (numbers 2 and 3) have large inglenook fireplaces and were clearly separate residences. The occupation of the residents is speculative, possibly for agricultural workers or associated with a mill on the Bybrook. Alternatively, they could have been homes for residents of a burgeoning village economy of shops and services.
The first naming of the properties emerged in the very early Victorian period. They were listed in the Tithe Apportionment record as plot 137 cottage and garden owned by William Pinchin of Box Mill and let to William Blair, Obediah Smith and William Cullen. In the 1841 census, we get similar family details of Edward George Blair carter, William Hunt railway labourer, Obediah Smith miner, and Elizabeth Cullen tailor. We know little about the families at this time but they became significant later. In 1851 only three cottages were listed, let to the Blair family and two newcomers, Henry C Caslick labourer, and William Newman labourer. Ten years later, the Blair and Newman families remained but the other family had altered to Charles Hobbs stone cutter. Some of these families were committed to a new enthusiasm which was spreading through Box promoted by the Rowe and Noble families, whose story needs to be told before that of Woodstock.
The siting of the cottages was probably influenced by making best use of the level land at the foot of the slope of the nearby Mill Lane, one of the oldest tracks in the village and recorded on the Allen maps of 1626. It is not clear if houses existed on the site at that time. By the 1700s we can see that two well-built cottages existed on the site with stone mullion windows and good quality walling. These original cottages (numbers 2 and 3) have large inglenook fireplaces and were clearly separate residences. The occupation of the residents is speculative, possibly for agricultural workers or associated with a mill on the Bybrook. Alternatively, they could have been homes for residents of a burgeoning village economy of shops and services.
The first naming of the properties emerged in the very early Victorian period. They were listed in the Tithe Apportionment record as plot 137 cottage and garden owned by William Pinchin of Box Mill and let to William Blair, Obediah Smith and William Cullen. In the 1841 census, we get similar family details of Edward George Blair carter, William Hunt railway labourer, Obediah Smith miner, and Elizabeth Cullen tailor. We know little about the families at this time but they became significant later. In 1851 only three cottages were listed, let to the Blair family and two newcomers, Henry C Caslick labourer, and William Newman labourer. Ten years later, the Blair and Newman families remained but the other family had altered to Charles Hobbs stone cutter. Some of these families were committed to a new enthusiasm which was spreading through Box promoted by the Rowe and Noble families, whose story needs to be told before that of Woodstock.
Rowe Family
In April 1820 the house of Samuel Rowe (1786 – 1831, sometimes spelt Roe) was certificated, in other words registered for non-conformist worship.[1] The house was not named but it could have been Woodstock as there are connections with the residents of those cottages. The non-conformist house was described as a Wesleyan Methodist property, registered by Daniel Campbell, minister of Bradford-on-Avon and Rev Mr Smith, Hog Lane. It wasn’t the only Methodist meeting house in the area but probably took on greater importance because of its central location.[2] In 1809 Samuel Rowe married Catherine Lewes in Bath. Born at Freshford, Somerset, Catherine (1789 - 1855) was a formidable, industrious woman. Methodism was strongly held in Freshford, which was visited several times by John Wesley and a Methodist Chapel was built there in 1783. Both Samuel and Catherine were born at the time of the start of the French Revolution, a period of great social change and this too appealed to dissenters at that time.
In 1840 Catherine Rowe ran a business in Box as a baker, occupying plot 187b comprising house, shop, bakehouse and yard in the premises now called Millers. She also owned several other properties, including plot 338 (Chapel Cottages) where there were four cottages with gardens occupied by George Tyler, Noah Norris, Thomas Bath, and Worthy Richard. Rather confusingly, plot 187b owned by her was also called Wesleyan Chapel although this refers to the site on the opposite side of the road.
The Rowe family were hard-working, thrifty entrepreneurs, and aspirational. They were well-connected through other nonconformist families and prepared to exploit new trades and industries in the early Victorian period. It was probably no surprise when Elizabeth Rowe, daughter of Samuel and Catherine, married an aspiring young Methodist, Thomas Noble from Somerset, at a chapel in Bristol in 1828.
In April 1820 the house of Samuel Rowe (1786 – 1831, sometimes spelt Roe) was certificated, in other words registered for non-conformist worship.[1] The house was not named but it could have been Woodstock as there are connections with the residents of those cottages. The non-conformist house was described as a Wesleyan Methodist property, registered by Daniel Campbell, minister of Bradford-on-Avon and Rev Mr Smith, Hog Lane. It wasn’t the only Methodist meeting house in the area but probably took on greater importance because of its central location.[2] In 1809 Samuel Rowe married Catherine Lewes in Bath. Born at Freshford, Somerset, Catherine (1789 - 1855) was a formidable, industrious woman. Methodism was strongly held in Freshford, which was visited several times by John Wesley and a Methodist Chapel was built there in 1783. Both Samuel and Catherine were born at the time of the start of the French Revolution, a period of great social change and this too appealed to dissenters at that time.
In 1840 Catherine Rowe ran a business in Box as a baker, occupying plot 187b comprising house, shop, bakehouse and yard in the premises now called Millers. She also owned several other properties, including plot 338 (Chapel Cottages) where there were four cottages with gardens occupied by George Tyler, Noah Norris, Thomas Bath, and Worthy Richard. Rather confusingly, plot 187b owned by her was also called Wesleyan Chapel although this refers to the site on the opposite side of the road.
The Rowe family were hard-working, thrifty entrepreneurs, and aspirational. They were well-connected through other nonconformist families and prepared to exploit new trades and industries in the early Victorian period. It was probably no surprise when Elizabeth Rowe, daughter of Samuel and Catherine, married an aspiring young Methodist, Thomas Noble from Somerset, at a chapel in Bristol in 1828.
Thomas Noble
Thomas Noble (1805-67) was born in Batcombe, near Shepton Mallett, Somerset, a staunchly nonconformist area, notable for assisting the voyage of The Mayflower to USA. We might imagine that the parents regarded Thomas’ marriage to Elizabeth as ideal, the union of young, enthusiastic Methodist preacher with their daughter, heiress to their property investments from a lifetime of hard work.
The families remained closely connected after the death of Samuel in 1831. On 3 March 1834 Catherine Rowe and Thomas Noble registered a chapel in our possession at Box, the first permanent Methodist church in Box and the forerunner of the existing Methodist Chapel.[3] In the 1841 census Elizabeth Rowe and Thomas and Catherine Noble were renting rooms at The Barracks in Box (listed next to Box Churchyard). Catherine Noble gave her employment as baker (presumably working for her mother-in-law Catherine Rowe) and Thomas listed his employment as tea dealer.[4] In the same year he was charged with using defective weights in his business.[5] The Noble family had also acquired an investment property, owning the freehold of a cottage and garden in the Market Place (plot 343) let to Thomas Gale.
Thomas Noble (1805-67) was born in Batcombe, near Shepton Mallett, Somerset, a staunchly nonconformist area, notable for assisting the voyage of The Mayflower to USA. We might imagine that the parents regarded Thomas’ marriage to Elizabeth as ideal, the union of young, enthusiastic Methodist preacher with their daughter, heiress to their property investments from a lifetime of hard work.
The families remained closely connected after the death of Samuel in 1831. On 3 March 1834 Catherine Rowe and Thomas Noble registered a chapel in our possession at Box, the first permanent Methodist church in Box and the forerunner of the existing Methodist Chapel.[3] In the 1841 census Elizabeth Rowe and Thomas and Catherine Noble were renting rooms at The Barracks in Box (listed next to Box Churchyard). Catherine Noble gave her employment as baker (presumably working for her mother-in-law Catherine Rowe) and Thomas listed his employment as tea dealer.[4] In the same year he was charged with using defective weights in his business.[5] The Noble family had also acquired an investment property, owning the freehold of a cottage and garden in the Market Place (plot 343) let to Thomas Gale.
The Tithe Apportionment map of 1840 (courtesy of Know Your Place)
The connection between the Rowe-Noble families and the residents of Woodstock was confirmed in the censuses between 1851 and 1871, when Elizabeth Noble was working as a baker (presumably taking over the family business) and employing the same families who had tenanted Woodstock, the Cullen and Smith families. The persons she employed were probably all trusted Methodists, William Cullen (servant), William C Smith (apprentice baker) and later William Cullen Smith (baker), Kate Smith (domestic servant) and Eugenie Smith (cook). Later still, the son of Elizabeth and Thomas Noble, Samuel Rowe Noble (born 1833 and died between 1897 and 1904), married Elizabeth Pictor, fourth daughter of Job Pictor, and became a quarry-owner and stone dealer.[6]
Woodstock area in 1899 (courtesy Mike Jacobs)
Subsequent Owners of Woodstock
In 1840 the freehold of Woodstock was in the possession of William Pinchin of Box Mill, who also held the adjoining plots of undeveloped land. At that time, there were three plots of land in the Woodstock area – plot 138 running up to the railway line, plot 137 the Woodstock Cottages and gardens, and plot 135 up to the High Street. Three of the Woodstock Cottages and their gardens were still occupied by William Cullen, Edward Blair and Obediah Smith.
Plot 138 was called Lower Lissets (roughly the land where Mill Lane Cottages have been built) and plot 135 was Upper Lissets (Bath Road Terrace and Fairmead View). The Lissets land paid tithes to the vicar, Rev Horlock of Box House, and was occupied by James Vezey, master butcher and publican who owned The Chequers pub in the Market Place.
In 1840 the freehold of Woodstock was in the possession of William Pinchin of Box Mill, who also held the adjoining plots of undeveloped land. At that time, there were three plots of land in the Woodstock area – plot 138 running up to the railway line, plot 137 the Woodstock Cottages and gardens, and plot 135 up to the High Street. Three of the Woodstock Cottages and their gardens were still occupied by William Cullen, Edward Blair and Obediah Smith.
Plot 138 was called Lower Lissets (roughly the land where Mill Lane Cottages have been built) and plot 135 was Upper Lissets (Bath Road Terrace and Fairmead View). The Lissets land paid tithes to the vicar, Rev Horlock of Box House, and was occupied by James Vezey, master butcher and publican who owned The Chequers pub in the Market Place.
Bath & Portland Ownership, 1899-1934
The first legal record of the cottages was in 1896 when Ralph Skeate Ponting of the Queen’s Head Inn purchased 2 acres, 2 roods, 6 perches of land known as Upper and Lower Lycetts for £520.[7] The land was let to Dr Martin probably for grazing his horse and as an investment to produce an income. It was a shrewd investment and a year later Ralph Skeate Ponting and his brother Edward Ponting conveyed the cottages to Bertha Ponting, Ralph’s wife and, like him, innkeeper of the Queen’s Head.[8] By then the pair of cottages had been extended on both sides (now numbers 1 and 4). We can still see evidence of that with a blind window in the attic gable of number 3 showing that number 4 was added subsequently. Bertha didn’t retain the premises but sold the four Woodstock Cottages to The Bath Stone Firms Ltd (often known as The Firms) for the sum of £750.
The Firms acquired all the land which ran alongside the brook all the way from the London Road to the railway line. Dr Martin gave up the tenancy in favour of Frank Hobbs who occupied the gardens, pigsties and, outbuildings whilst the cottages were tenanted by Hy Greenman, Mrs E Benjamin, Mrs Bishop and the fourth was vacant.
South African War Volunteer
We can discover more about the Bishop family in the third cottage. In 1900 Private William G Bishop, a mason from Woodstock, joined the Bath Volunteers going to war in South Africa.[9] He attended a rousing soldiers’ service in Bath Abbey which spoke of the brilliant Christian soldier. Addressing the congregation, the rector Canon Quirk considered that We had sent out the largest British army that ever had been sent out from these shores. We had lost in killed, wounded and missing nearly, if not quite, ten thousand men – a little army in itself. He concluded with Tennyson’s words: Is it peace or war? Better war! - loud war by land and sea. He talked about the hearts of those who were ready to fight, at the call of duty, the battle of our Queen and our country; of justice, liberty and equality. So, he concluded All is well.
Afterwards 26 volunteers gathered in their khaki uniforms in front of the Bath Guildhall, close to the serving men of the Somerset Light Infantry dressed in red. The next day, they were given a hot meal in the Drill Hall and set off by train for Taunton. Twenty volunteers – carpenters, painters, shop assistants and William Bishop – left for Southampton, union jacks fluttering on their rifle bayonets, singing to the accompaniment of the regimental band, and waved off by thousands of cheering onlookers. William was one of 16 survivors who returned in May 1901 and were greeted by the mayor of Bath, civic dignitaries, military leaders and a cheering crowd and they assembled at the Guildhall for a dinner in their honour.[10]
It is easy to understand why William volunteered. He was born in 1880, the eldest son of James and Emily Bradfield who lived at Box Quarries in 1881. On the death of his father in 1883, Emily moved to Woodstock, where she worked as a charwoman and took in boarders such as Frank Spalding. William went out to work at the age of 11 as a grocer’s assistant and later tried employment in the stone industry. There was little work in Box in the early 1900s and life at home was difficult with lodger Frank Spalding, who was found guilty of being drunk in Bath and imprisoned for 7 days, unable to pay a 5s fine.[11]
The first legal record of the cottages was in 1896 when Ralph Skeate Ponting of the Queen’s Head Inn purchased 2 acres, 2 roods, 6 perches of land known as Upper and Lower Lycetts for £520.[7] The land was let to Dr Martin probably for grazing his horse and as an investment to produce an income. It was a shrewd investment and a year later Ralph Skeate Ponting and his brother Edward Ponting conveyed the cottages to Bertha Ponting, Ralph’s wife and, like him, innkeeper of the Queen’s Head.[8] By then the pair of cottages had been extended on both sides (now numbers 1 and 4). We can still see evidence of that with a blind window in the attic gable of number 3 showing that number 4 was added subsequently. Bertha didn’t retain the premises but sold the four Woodstock Cottages to The Bath Stone Firms Ltd (often known as The Firms) for the sum of £750.
The Firms acquired all the land which ran alongside the brook all the way from the London Road to the railway line. Dr Martin gave up the tenancy in favour of Frank Hobbs who occupied the gardens, pigsties and, outbuildings whilst the cottages were tenanted by Hy Greenman, Mrs E Benjamin, Mrs Bishop and the fourth was vacant.
South African War Volunteer
We can discover more about the Bishop family in the third cottage. In 1900 Private William G Bishop, a mason from Woodstock, joined the Bath Volunteers going to war in South Africa.[9] He attended a rousing soldiers’ service in Bath Abbey which spoke of the brilliant Christian soldier. Addressing the congregation, the rector Canon Quirk considered that We had sent out the largest British army that ever had been sent out from these shores. We had lost in killed, wounded and missing nearly, if not quite, ten thousand men – a little army in itself. He concluded with Tennyson’s words: Is it peace or war? Better war! - loud war by land and sea. He talked about the hearts of those who were ready to fight, at the call of duty, the battle of our Queen and our country; of justice, liberty and equality. So, he concluded All is well.
Afterwards 26 volunteers gathered in their khaki uniforms in front of the Bath Guildhall, close to the serving men of the Somerset Light Infantry dressed in red. The next day, they were given a hot meal in the Drill Hall and set off by train for Taunton. Twenty volunteers – carpenters, painters, shop assistants and William Bishop – left for Southampton, union jacks fluttering on their rifle bayonets, singing to the accompaniment of the regimental band, and waved off by thousands of cheering onlookers. William was one of 16 survivors who returned in May 1901 and were greeted by the mayor of Bath, civic dignitaries, military leaders and a cheering crowd and they assembled at the Guildhall for a dinner in their honour.[10]
It is easy to understand why William volunteered. He was born in 1880, the eldest son of James and Emily Bradfield who lived at Box Quarries in 1881. On the death of his father in 1883, Emily moved to Woodstock, where she worked as a charwoman and took in boarders such as Frank Spalding. William went out to work at the age of 11 as a grocer’s assistant and later tried employment in the stone industry. There was little work in Box in the early 1900s and life at home was difficult with lodger Frank Spalding, who was found guilty of being drunk in Bath and imprisoned for 7 days, unable to pay a 5s fine.[11]
Site for Development
By 1934 The Firms were looking to sell the cottages but much had changed in the meantime. One cottage had been temporarily absorbed (possibly to provide a larger premises or perhaps because it was unfit for habitation). The value of the premises had deteriorated, partly because of changes in British Law. The Law of Property Act, 1925, simplified the ways that land could be held, reducing it down to two estates – freehold and leasehold - and eliminated any easements on the property (sub-tenancy rights of occupation). Henceforth there could be no additional income from easements.
The Act complicated arrangements for the Firms because they had secured Debenture Stock on various properties and had to appoint trustees to supervise arrangements, Walter Spencer Brymer and Hugh Frank Clutterbuck, later Arthur Hibbard Collins and Frederick Harold Fortt. The properties which had been pledged comprised 19 cottages and land in Box and 8 at Whitley as well as the offices, works and 2 cottages at Clift.[12] The company needed to repay the Debenture Stock (originally £88,000) because it was paying interest at 7% on some of the loan and a commitment to repay at a date before 1951. The price, however, was severely affected by security for the Debenture lasting up to 3,000 years. Selling the cottages at whatever value was the easiest solution.
The plot of land marked 137 (the three Woodstock Cottages, formerly four, and their gardens and the right of way marked green) was bought by Herbert Prosser Chaffey, Gent of Bath, for £200 in September 1934 when the cottages were tenanted by F Gilham, Mrs Hancock and Mrs Thorn. He only held the cottages until March 1936 before selling to Frederick George Neate, Builder and Decorator of Hillcrest, Box Hill for £200.
We get a description of number 4 Woodstock Cottages in 1941 when a legal case was heard concerning property ownership.[13] Reginald John Sumner, bricklayer, was living in Woodstock whilst he attempted to recover his house at 2 Mill Lane. Number 4 Woodstock was described as a house that has only one room up and one room down. Reginald John and his wife slept upstairs together with three children under 5 years. The court considered this to be clearly unacceptable accommodation for a family of five.
By 1934 The Firms were looking to sell the cottages but much had changed in the meantime. One cottage had been temporarily absorbed (possibly to provide a larger premises or perhaps because it was unfit for habitation). The value of the premises had deteriorated, partly because of changes in British Law. The Law of Property Act, 1925, simplified the ways that land could be held, reducing it down to two estates – freehold and leasehold - and eliminated any easements on the property (sub-tenancy rights of occupation). Henceforth there could be no additional income from easements.
The Act complicated arrangements for the Firms because they had secured Debenture Stock on various properties and had to appoint trustees to supervise arrangements, Walter Spencer Brymer and Hugh Frank Clutterbuck, later Arthur Hibbard Collins and Frederick Harold Fortt. The properties which had been pledged comprised 19 cottages and land in Box and 8 at Whitley as well as the offices, works and 2 cottages at Clift.[12] The company needed to repay the Debenture Stock (originally £88,000) because it was paying interest at 7% on some of the loan and a commitment to repay at a date before 1951. The price, however, was severely affected by security for the Debenture lasting up to 3,000 years. Selling the cottages at whatever value was the easiest solution.
The plot of land marked 137 (the three Woodstock Cottages, formerly four, and their gardens and the right of way marked green) was bought by Herbert Prosser Chaffey, Gent of Bath, for £200 in September 1934 when the cottages were tenanted by F Gilham, Mrs Hancock and Mrs Thorn. He only held the cottages until March 1936 before selling to Frederick George Neate, Builder and Decorator of Hillcrest, Box Hill for £200.
We get a description of number 4 Woodstock Cottages in 1941 when a legal case was heard concerning property ownership.[13] Reginald John Sumner, bricklayer, was living in Woodstock whilst he attempted to recover his house at 2 Mill Lane. Number 4 Woodstock was described as a house that has only one room up and one room down. Reginald John and his wife slept upstairs together with three children under 5 years. The court considered this to be clearly unacceptable accommodation for a family of five.
In the next issue of the website we look at the person who restored Woodstock Cottages with their garden plots and renovated the properties after the Second World War.
References
[1] JH Chandler Wiltshire Record Society, Dissenters Meeting House Certificates 1689-1852, p.90
[2] In 1802 a house belonging to Jacob Ford was certificated at Middlehill; in 1825 the property belonging to Mr. James Rawlings; and in 1828 a dwelling house at Wadswick belonging to Peter Doorey. (JH Chandler, Wiltshire Dissenters' Meeting House Certificates and Registrations 1689-1852, p.58, 108 and 116)
[3] See Methodist Chapel
[4] The Poorhouse had been redundant since the opening of the County Poorhouse at Chippenham in 1834.
[5] Magistrates Courts 'Rough Justice' transcribed by David Mattock. Published by Wilts FHS
[6] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, 20 October 1864
[7] Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser, 19 September 1896, researched by Verity Jeffery
[8] Abstract of Title of the Executors of the late Frederick George Neate, 1963
[9] The Bath Chronicle, 8 February 1900
[10] The Bath Chronicle, 9 May 1901
[11] The Bath Chronicle, 18 April 1901
[12] Abstract of the Debenture Trust Deed, 1934
[13] Bath Weekly Chronicle and Herald, 8 February 1941
[1] JH Chandler Wiltshire Record Society, Dissenters Meeting House Certificates 1689-1852, p.90
[2] In 1802 a house belonging to Jacob Ford was certificated at Middlehill; in 1825 the property belonging to Mr. James Rawlings; and in 1828 a dwelling house at Wadswick belonging to Peter Doorey. (JH Chandler, Wiltshire Dissenters' Meeting House Certificates and Registrations 1689-1852, p.58, 108 and 116)
[3] See Methodist Chapel
[4] The Poorhouse had been redundant since the opening of the County Poorhouse at Chippenham in 1834.
[5] Magistrates Courts 'Rough Justice' transcribed by David Mattock. Published by Wilts FHS
[6] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, 20 October 1864
[7] Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser, 19 September 1896, researched by Verity Jeffery
[8] Abstract of Title of the Executors of the late Frederick George Neate, 1963
[9] The Bath Chronicle, 8 February 1900
[10] The Bath Chronicle, 9 May 1901
[11] The Bath Chronicle, 18 April 1901
[12] Abstract of the Debenture Trust Deed, 1934
[13] Bath Weekly Chronicle and Herald, 8 February 1941