East Hendred Museum at Champs Chapel, Oxfordshire and Berkshire Heritage

CHAPTER XI TO THE NORTH

A description of East Hendred would be in-complete without taking in the area of the north of the parish.

Allin’s Lane runs from Allin’s Farm (now Manor House) between high wooded banks to enter the A417 near Ludbridge which carries the main road over the Ginge Brook. In the angle between Allin’s Lane and the main road there was a sheephouse and the name is still used for Mr. Cowdery’s barn close by. Since this barn appears on a map (which Miss Martin has lent to me) of the lands of Dr. Richard Cooper, who then held Framptons Manor and died aged about ninety in 1788, we can accept the evidence of the structure of its roof timbers and of the dates carved on its beams, that it was built not later than the early eighteenth century. Though the roof is now covered with corrugated iron, the structure makes it a historical building that should be preserved.

The lane continues across the main road but ceases to be a public right of way. It led to Ludbridge Mill. What was said about Hendred Mill applied equally here. The development of the milling industry at the ports killed it. The mill fell into disuse. The house remained; but it had been very damp for many years and was pulled down. A photograph shows it as a double-fronted house in a picturesque setting with barns and stables.

Mr. Blowfield moved from Ludbridge Farm House to a newly-built house in Woods Farm Lane. Further down the lane are two new brick-built bungalows, and across the way, is a semi-bungalow built by Mr. Moore for an employee.

Where the lane crosses the stream, stands Woods Farm House. As in the case of Aldfield Farm, the house was built after the enclosures, possibly about 1860. Cassey’s Directory for 1868 shows it then in the occupation of Reuben Smith. Mr. F.A. Smith lived there before he moved to Couling’s Farm House, but continued to farm the land. The changes in farming method over the past century can be followed in the development of the farm buildings which have been progressively extended in line with them.

Opposite the end of White Road; the Loyds, who succeeded the Allins at Downs House and the Manor House, built a terrace of four houses, called Portway Cottages, for their employees; but one was first occupied by Matthew Kimber and then by Mr. William Cleaver, a West Hendred farmer and nephew to Mr. French.

There is another memorial beside the A417. In 1931, Mr. Matthew Kimber was killed when driving a team of horses down Hendred Hill between Woods Farm Lane and Allin’s Lane. The memorial is much the same colour as the bank against which it stands. I don’t think many people now notice it.

Just after the first world war, the Four Square Gospel movement reached Hendred and a building was put up beside the lane just past the two houses built for Mr. Smith by Joe Prater and now occupied by Miss Payne and Mrs. Little. Mrs. Auguste Legouix had a good deal to do with it, and; when the Channel Islands were evacuated in 1940, the Sebire family from Alderney were settled there. It has been a private dwelling since then and is now occupied by Mr. Rixon, - another old Hendred name.

Further down the lane leading to Steventon is a group of farm buildings. Mr. L. Stoter, who worked for Mr. Smith, says he had a sheephouse there. Mr. Smith had many flocks of sheep on his farms and five or six shepherds. I gather that this was a main centre for lambing and that many hundreds of ewes used to be concentrated here. The shepherd in charge was Mr. Jim Andrews, and he must have had a busy time in the lambing season. There are nothing like so many sheep in the parish as formerly when they used to be penned over the arable fields, and such crops as sanfoin and swedes used to be grown for them.

These buildings were taken over by Mr. Cleaver as a dairy farm, but the buildings and the fields beside them are now owned by Mr. Moore.

A couple of hundred yards further east along the A417 is an extremely interesting house. When Mr. Joe Legouix bought the orchards north of the road from Mrs. Borwick, he and Mrs. Legouix determined to build themselves a house after their own hearts. They took ideas from Switzerland, Austria and elsewhere and had their design carried out by a builder from Wallingford. And Mrs. Legouix was responsible for the lay-out of a particularly charming garden.

In honour of that wonderful belt of greensand which contributes so decisively to the success of fruit growing in East Hendred, the house is called Greensands, a name spelt out in topiary for it is formed of pear trees on which large pears were hanging when I last visited the house.

And just beside the boundary of the parish on Featherbed Lane, Mr. and Mrs. Moore, when they found Coulings too large for them as their family grew up, took over a bungalow which had been built by Mr. Candy, a poultry farmer, and reconstructed it to their taste.

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Home About Museum Museum History Disabled Access Heritage Trust Fire Pump Local History Places to Visit Photo Gallery Audio-Visuals Getting Here Events Diary How You Can Help? Contact Us Links	CHAPTER XI TO THE NORTH A description of East Hendred would be in-complete without taking in the area of the north of the parish. Allin’s Lane runs from Allin’s Farm (now Manor House) between high wooded banks to enter the A417 near Ludbridge which carries the main road over the Ginge Brook. In the angle between Allin’s Lane and the main road there was a sheephouse and the name is still used for Mr. Cowdery’s barn close by. Since this barn appears on a map (which Miss Martin has lent to me) of the lands of Dr. Richard Cooper, who then held Framptons Manor and died aged about ninety in 1788, we can accept the evidence of the structure of its roof timbers and of the dates carved on its beams, that it was built not later than the early eighteenth century. Though the roof is now covered with corrugated iron, the structure makes it a historical building that should be preserved. The lane continues across the main road but ceases to be a public right of way. It led to Ludbridge Mill. What was said about Hendred Mill applied equally here. The development of the milling industry at the ports killed it. The mill fell into disuse. The house remained; but it had been very damp for many years and was pulled down. A photograph shows it as a double-fronted house in a picturesque setting with barns and stables. Mr. Blowfield moved from Ludbridge Farm House to a newly-built house in Woods Farm Lane. Further down the lane are two new brick-built bungalows, and across the way, is a semi-bungalow built by Mr. Moore for an employee. Where the lane crosses the stream, stands Woods Farm House. As in the case of Aldfield Farm, the house was built after the enclosures, possibly about 1860. Cassey’s Directory for 1868 shows it then in the occupation of Reuben Smith. Mr. F.A. Smith lived there before he moved to Couling’s Farm House, but continued to farm the land. The changes in farming method over the past century can be followed in the development of the farm buildings which have been progressively extended in line with them. Opposite the end of White Road; the Loyds, who succeeded the Allins at Downs House and the Manor House, built a terrace of four houses, called Portway Cottages, for their employees; but one was first occupied by Matthew Kimber and then by Mr. William Cleaver, a West Hendred farmer and nephew to Mr. French. There is another memorial beside the A417. In 1931, Mr. Matthew Kimber was killed when driving a team of horses down Hendred Hill between Woods Farm Lane and Allin’s Lane. The memorial is much the same colour as the bank against which it stands. I don’t think many people now notice it. Just after the first world war, the Four Square Gospel movement reached Hendred and a building was put up beside the lane just past the two houses built for Mr. Smith by Joe Prater and now occupied by Miss Payne and Mrs. Little. Mrs. Auguste Legouix had a good deal to do with it, and; when the Channel Islands were evacuated in 1940, the Sebire family from Alderney were settled there. It has been a private dwelling since then and is now occupied by Mr. Rixon, - another old Hendred name. Further down the lane leading to Steventon is a group of farm buildings. Mr. L. Stoter, who worked for Mr. Smith, says he had a sheephouse there. Mr. Smith had many flocks of sheep on his farms and five or six shepherds. I gather that this was a main centre for lambing and that many hundreds of ewes used to be concentrated here. The shepherd in charge was Mr. Jim Andrews, and he must have had a busy time in the lambing season. There are nothing like so many sheep in the parish as formerly when they used to be penned over the arable fields, and such crops as sanfoin and swedes used to be grown for them. These buildings were taken over by Mr. Cleaver as a dairy farm, but the buildings and the fields beside them are now owned by Mr. Moore. A couple of hundred yards further east along the A417 is an extremely interesting house. When Mr. Joe Legouix bought the orchards north of the road from Mrs. Borwick, he and Mrs. Legouix determined to build themselves a house after their own hearts. They took ideas from Switzerland, Austria and elsewhere and had their design carried out by a builder from Wallingford. And Mrs. Legouix was responsible for the lay-out of a particularly charming garden. In honour of that wonderful belt of greensand which contributes so decisively to the success of fruit growing in East Hendred, the house is called Greensands, a name spelt out in topiary for it is formed of pear trees on which large pears were hanging when I last visited the house. And just beside the boundary of the parish on Featherbed Lane, Mr. and Mrs. Moore, when they found Coulings too large for them as their family grew up, took over a bungalow which had been built by Mr. Candy, a poultry farmer, and reconstructed it to their taste. [Back to the Table of Contents]
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