A rendered cottage over blue lias. Built by Nicholas Crocker in 1836 on a plot of land size 63’ x 30’ bought by Jesse Teagle from Thomas Crocker for £13 on 28 December 1835. The cottage was built for £12. Thomas also owned the next house in Church Path, Church Villa.
1841 Tithe Award and census return shows tenants were Samuel Grove, aged 32 farm labourer, his wife Susan aged 31 and son Henry aged 2.
Susan is shown as living here from 1847 to 1856. 9.3.1843 the property was sold to Johanna Gardiner of Over Stowey and in March 1847 to Peter Callow of Chedzoy for £130.
1851 census return shows Susan Groves aged 35, washerwoman, living with her sons Henry and John, owner Peter Callow.
Charles Lynham married Susan Groves (nee Hurley) on 04.10.1851 and he moved in with her.
Peter Callow died in 1855 and the property was left to his wife Grace.
1861 census shows Charles Lynham aged 34, cooper, wife Susan aged 45, Henry 21 a smith and William aged 8.
1871 census Charles Lynham 44, a cooper. Charles was born in Puriton Wife Susan 55, born Huntspill.
1874 Grace Callow died and in 1875 Charles Lynham purchased the cottage at auction in for £54.8s6d and it remained in the Lynham family until 1968.
1881 census Charles Lynham aged 55, cooper, Jane, his wife, aged 52. Presumably Susan had died between censuses.
1891 census Charles Lynham aged 66, cooper, born Puriton. Wife Jane aged 54, seamstress, born Puriton.
1901 census Charles Lynham aged 78, occupation cement barrel cooper, shown as being a cripple. Wife Jane aged 74.
1902 Francis Lynham junior occupier, Francis Lynham senior owner. Francis senior was probably the nephew of Charles Lynham as, according to the parish records and censuses, it seems that Charles had no natural children and the property was probably left to his nearest relative.
1912 Francis Lynham junior owner/occupier. The property was then bequeathed to Mrs Annie Parker, whose father-in-law had financed Charles Lynham at the 1875 auction.
22.7.1969 Miss Dorothy Howard from Chard occupant, owner Annie Porter.
27.10.1970 Derek and Lorraine Collinson.
1983 a police constable from Yeovil moved it. In the early 1990s it was owned by Nick Grundy, one of Bawdrip’s Church Wardens.
1994 Adam and Kay Griffin.
Church Villa (Listed Grade II), Tithe No. 193
Church Villa, Church Path
Again of old red brick construction. It has a portico front porch. This may be a much older property although we only have information dating from 1835 when Thomas Crocker[1] was the owner/occupier. He sold some of the land he owned to Jesse Teagle, who then built Linham Cottage. Jesse Teagle then bought Church Villa in 1843. Thomas and his wife Sarah Crocker had right of occupancy until their demise. Thomas and Sarah were still in residence in 1851, according to the census. Thomas aged 80, a labourer, and his wife Sarah, aged 74.
In 1857 described as “a dwelling house, turf house and garden of 10 perches, bounded on the east by the churchyard and the west by a dwelling house, garden and premises belonging to Grace Callow[2] and formerly occupied by Susan Groves and now of Charles Lynham. To the south by premises belonging to John Bellringer, sold by Jesse Teagle to Grace Callow for £60.”
1861 census Grace Callow, gentlewoman aged 71, George Lane aged 19
1871 census no listing
1874 Grace Callow died
1875 property sold at auction to William Varmen for £140
1881 census William Varman, aged 32, a tailor, Caroline Elizabeth, nee Crane his wife, aged 33 (born Chedzoy), children Ann 8, Frank 7, Frederick 5, Maud 4, Leslie 2, Ethel 3 months.
1891 census William Varmen jnr, born Puriton aged 42. Caroline Elizabeth aged 44, children Maud 14, Leslie 12, Ethel 10, Walter 8, Edith 6, Lionel 4
1932 William Varmen died
1933 property sold to Anna Elizabeth Welch for £290, then immediately resold to Mrs Rose Alice Wheeler, wife of Harry, for £315.
1955 Rose Wheeler died intestate
1956 Charles Henry Wheeler, Rose’s son and executor agreed to the vesting in Eva Ellen Norris .
In 1976 Eva Ellen Norris dies. Sold by her executors to John and Phyllis Martin, who were still in residence in 2000.
Church Path Buildings
According to the 1841 Tithe Map and Award, the other side of Church Path, opposite Church Villa, was occupied by farm buildings, which were used by John Fry of Court Farm. In 1851, by which time, Fry’s lease of Court Farm had ended, he is still shown as a farmer, but now of only 40 acres – he had probably moved to Church Farm, which he already owned. These buildings also included the former slaughter-house, which was later converted to a wash-house by the side of the now 12a Church Path, when it was only half its present size.
By 1863 No. 10. The Cottage had been built partially on the site of a farm building and was owned by Peter and Grace Callow and occupied by Francis Pole, a carpenter and his wife Mary, who had a rental agreement until 1863 for 1s[3], which seems to indicate that maybe some of the original part of the dwelling was held on a copyhold tenancy because of the low rental. The Pole’s had been in Bawdrip since at least 1750. Francis Pole is mentioned in the memoires of J C Knott c. 1830 and said to be “the first schismatic. I do not use the term offensively, at Bawdrip was one Frank Pole. We will call him non-conformist, of what denomination I know not. He did not charge my father (Rev. W S Knott) for he could not, with any neglect of duty, but he disliked Tithes and, no doubt Church rates. His dictum was “if a man work not, neither shall he eat.”
1861 census Francis Pole aged 62, a carpenter. Wife Mary aged 63.
1871 census Francis Pole aged 72, a carpenter and wife Mary aged 73.
1881 census Joseph Porter aged 52, a thatcher, born in Weston Zoyland. His wife Louisa (nee Lynham) aged 48, born in Puriton and sons England aged 19 an Inn barman and Ernest 14 both of whom had been born in Chedzoy.
1891 census Joseph 60, a thatcher, Louisa aged 58 and son Ernest aged 25, a farm labourer.
24.11.1898 Joseph died and the 1901 census shows Louisa, aged 67. as a boarder in the village with the Ashton family.
1902 Harry Wheeler is the owner/occupier.
Poor Rate 1924 Harry Wheeler and his wife Rose Alice.
1946 William Wheeler son of Harry and brother of Charles Wheeler.
1946-1951 Mr Samways from Exeter
Another long-term occupant c.30 years was Cyril Davey and his wife Winifred. Cyril a motor mechanic from Dunster had once raced motor cycles at Brooklands. His wife lost a leg whilst a passenger in a sidecar. In 1952, during Cyril’s occupancy, the floor was lowered to compensate for the low ceiling in the house.
14.11.1982 Winifred Davey left Bawdrip for Bridgwater.. Further alterations were then carried out to the house.
This pretty cottage is currently rendered pink. The occupiers in 2000 were Barry and Wendy Payne who had the building altered to encompass the 2 storey building with the adjoining 1 storey building. The old roof line can clearly be seen in older aerial photographs taken of the village. The Paynes have been in residence since 1990.
Aerial view towards Church Path. Church Farm in background
12A The Old Brick Cottage
Originally only half its present width and the servants’ quarters to No. 12. To the side and front of the property was the wash-house, which had been converted from a slaughterhouse owned by Matthew Brake who lived at No. 12 Church Path. The first person known to occupy it as a house was a coachman by the surname of Gilbert, who was there until 1913.
The next occupants were Frank and Mabel Conduit (nee Shorney), who lived there together from 1914 until 1956 when Frank died. Mabel stayed there for a further 10 years until 1966 when she gave 3 months’ notice to the owner. It then lay vacant until 1975 when Messrs Tower and Parish began rebuilding. Later in 1975 it was bought at auction, together with No. 12 by a Mrs Luscombe, who never occupied the property. As at 2000 it was occupied by Chris and Liza Whittaker and their children.
Corner Cottage, formerly Quantock View, now 12 Church Path
Corner Cottage and the Old Brick Cottage lhs of photo
This building and the Old Brick Cottage (the original half) had been erected as three dwellings and in an auction notice in the Bridgwater Mercury dated 1874 are referred to “as three, recently converted into two, very neat and substantially brick built, slated roof cottages with the small shop, slaughterhouse, stables, carthouse, yard and now in the respective occupation of Mr William Varman jnr. And Sarah Smith”.
The 1841 Tithe Award shows the site as farm outbuildings which probably related to Church Farm.
1871 census Matthew Brake, aged 42 yeoman.
In 1882 it was owned by Susannah Giles (nee Pople) whose husband George had died in 1875. They had previously occupied Bay Cottage.
25.04.1884 Susannah died and the property was left to her nephew James Pople, who mortgaged the property to Henry Boon. He repaid the mortgage to Henry Boon in 1910 and then immediately took another mortgage out from the Wilts and Dorset Bank.
William Baker was the lessee until 1912 when it was bought by Frank Lynham for £80.
Jonas Coles was an occupant who ran a small shop from the premises until 1914, possibly a butchers as that had been his father’s trade.
Between 1914-1922 a Mr Johnson lived here.
1922-1965 Ted Lynham, wife Harriet and children, including Phyllis, lived there having moved from opposite the Knowle Inn.
The Lynham family, occupiers of cottage 1922-1972 from l to r Jack, Phyllis, Harriet, Frank on Harriet’s knee, Margery and Evelyn
Between 1965-1972 Harriet Lynham widow of Wilfred (Ted) was in residence.
In 1973 it was auctioned along with 12a and sold to a Mrs Luscombe for £6,600.
Messrs Tower and Parish carried out alterations in 1975.
Mary ? moved in in 1976.
Kathleen Carwardine was in residence as at 2000.
No. 1 Church Road and The Grange (copyhold no. 27), Tithe 180
Originally one holding with various outbuildings. In 1575 the copyholder was John Stowell, (sometimes referred to as Stolle in old documents). He was one of the major tenants of the Manor of Bawdrip during the Elizabethan period. He held various offices within the Manor including water bailiff and haywarden. He was obliged to attend the Manor Courts and his name is recorded as a sworn juror on many of the Rolls. The first record we have found of the Stowells in Bawdrip is in 2 June 1545 when John Stowell is witness to the Will of Sir Thomas Lane of Bawdrip, he was also a witness to the Will of John Harewell in April 1556 and was, obviously, a much respected member of the community. Circa 1595, the Rent Roll for Bawdrip shows John Stowell paying a rental of £1.2s1d and this can be tied to an earlier lease in 1590 to John Stowell Jnr. In reversion of his mother Agnes Stowell, the widow of the original John Stowell. This lease tells us that the tenement at that time contained 60 acres of orchard, arable, meadow and pasture land with a rental of £1.2s1d.
The copyhold can be traced through to 1.11.1650 when it is still held in the hands of John Stowell, obviously a descendant of the original, paying the same rental. Rental book. Copyholder. No. 27. Messuage, orchard, barkside and garden; 2 acres, 2 roods and 38 acres of land, meadow and pasture. Herriott 1 best beast. A later note has been added in pencil to the margin of the lease cross referencing it to Mr Jones (see below). Because of the long period this property was held by the Stowell’s, it is referred to in later leases as Stolle’s tenement. Possibly, the Stowells originated from the neighbouring parish of Stawell and were related to the Stowells who held Cothelstone Manor near Bishop’s Lydeard.
19.5.1685 Henry Stowell surrendered his estate in the premises determinable on his own death (No. 1 Church Road) and took an estate in the tenement previously belonging to Mr. Tuxwell at Knowle.
1692-1695 Rent Rolls showing no tenant for Stowell’s tenement.
By 1730 James Jones took over the premises and it remained in the Jones family until 1763 passing to Elizabeth Jones, the widow of James. After the death of his mother, William Jones appears to sub-lease the property to George Rood between 1764 and 1768.
8.11.1769 there is a lease for William Jones on the lives of Richard, his son, aged 51, John Godfrey aged 30 and Mary Jones aged 28.
20.6.1771 William Jones Estate No. 27 excluded from Article of Agreement with Mary Jeffries.
In 1792 Charles Jones’ tenant is Joseph Kerle, his son-in-law who had married Jenny Jones. Charles Jones had left Bawdrip for Jamaica.
1841 Tithe Award tenant Thomas Hurman jnr,[4] farmer, aged 25. Jane his wife, aged 30 and children Jane 2 and Thomas 1. Owner Edward Campbell. Richards.
15.3.1841 Thomas Vreech Jones-Forward to John Heathcote “Holes/Stoles tenement”
1851 no tenant recorded on census.
20.5.1852 Thomas Vreech Jones-Forward to Henry Baker “dwelling house, garden, cider, dairy, wagon and other houses and barton. Attached to same an orchard adjoining.”
19.6.1852 Messrs Howood and Miss Howood mortgage on Stolles tenement to Culverwell and Fussell “dwelling house, garden, cider, dairy wagon and other houses and barton. Attached to same an orchard adjoining. Tenant Joseph Goode”.
1.8.1856 Messrs Culverwell and Fussell to William Jarman. Edward Collins was the tenant.
10.8.1856 Edward Collins, tenant. William Jarman gives a mortgage to William Stagg for this property.
18.10.1858 Edward Collins remains as tenant. Conveyance from William Jarman to Richard Smith, gentleman.
21.3.1871 Conveyance Richard Smith to Thomas R Watt “an estate called Holes or Stolles tenement, formerly in occupation of Joseph Goode, then Edward Collins, now of said Edward Collins as tenant. 45 acres, 1 rood, 35 perches.”
7.10.1881 listed as comprising just over 43 acres with house, buildings, yard and garden.
1885 John Collins owner/occupier (son of Edward and Maria Collins)
1886 survey showing more farm building than exist at today’s date
19.11.1892 John Collins married Mary Jane Hurman.
20.4.1898 auctioned by Horace Hurman, listed as dwelling-house, garden, orchard, barton, barn, premises. No acreage mentioned.
At some time, post 1901, when Edward Collings of Peasey Farm died, his widow Laura Collings (nee Brake) moved in to this property.
1924 Poor Rate Book, tenant John March, mason
1934 electoral roll shows Clifford Frank March (eldest son of John), Elizabeth (nee West) his mother, Margaret daughter-in-law and John.
1938 Henry John March and daughter Marion
1948 Henry John March died, aged 56, of cancer whilst still living at the property.
Between 1949 and 1953 Tony Day owned the property, carried out renovations and divided the building into two dwelling houses.
Mr and Mrs Shaw purchased one half of the property in 1953 and were still the owners in 2000.
The second part was purchased by the Canletts who lived there 1953-1954.
1955 Mr Poole
1972 Frank Poole, Vivian his wife and daughter Vivian. In 1974 moved to Stogursey.
1975 purchased by Mr and Mrs Moltan. Jerzy (George) Moltan died in November 1998 and Naomi, his wife, was still in residence in 2000.
The blue lias stone barn which is still standing in Greenfield Lane, was once used for cider making and contained an old cider press. It has now been converted into a dwelling.
The Barn, Greenfield Lane, c.1997
Greenfield Lane Documents from the early 18th century refer to dwellings in Little Green and Bawdrip Green. We think that Little Green could be the area around Greenfield Lane and Bawdrip Green the area to the north and south of the Church.
Ella & Walter Crane in Greenfield Lane c 1927. 4 Church Road in background.
A 1725 lease states “cottage containing 1½ roods of land in Bawdrip Green” and in 1708 “William Martin, Thomas Martin and Christian, his wife, cottage and garden lying in Bawdrip Green, 3 roods”. Referred to as estate No. 23 in 1771. Another lease dated 1761 “all the little piece of Waste Ground containing ½ yard lying in Little Green against Mr Jones’ orchard in Bawdrip.” Mr Jones’ orchard refers to the old orchard behind Grange Cottage.
Gnome Cottage, Tithe 184 (in 1941 it was known as Rose Cottage)
Gnome Cottage c. 1997
1851 census still Jonas Coles, wife Maria, children Jane 9, Jonas 6, Elizabeth 3, Henry 1. Jonas originally came from Enmore in Somerset.
1861 census Jonas Coles and wife Maria, children Charles 23, Jane 19, Jonas 16, Elizabeth 13, Henry 10, MaryAnn 9. 18656 Kellys directory still shows Jonas Coles as butcher in the village.
1871 census Jonas Coles jr., a dairyman. His wife Mary Ann 27 (nee Barnett), a dressmaker Children Albert 2, Frederick 1. By the time of the next census Jonas’ profession has changed to domestic gardener and he is living at Knowle.
1881 census Charles Dowden, aged 39, farm labourer (born Chedzoy). Wife Ann, children Maria 11, Thomas 6, Matilda 3, Kate 2 months.
1891 census Charles Dowden, wife Ann, children Tom 15, farm labourer, Matilda 13, Kate 10, Bessie 3 grand-daughter, James Braddick aged 31, lodger.
1901 census Thomas Dowden, son of Charles, aged 26, occupation cement worker. Wife Caroline aged 27, children Hubert 5, William 2.
1902 Harry Braddick aged 49 (previously living in Bradney) a dairyman on farm, Born in Catcot. Wife Mary aged 39, dairywoman on farm, born in Huntspill. 6 children Walter 15 agricultural labourer, Ellen 11, Maud 8, Winifred 6, Harold 4, Ethel 1.
1930 William Sellick. William worked for farmer Stagg and then went to work in the coalmines in South Wales. On his return he ran a big newspaper delivery service to local villages.[5]
1951-1975 Len and Ellen Kent. In between these dates we understand that Charles Durston (1948-1949) and then someone called De la Rue, who was a schoolteacher occupied the house.
11.7.1975-23.6.1982 family called Seymour
1982-1988 Websters
1988 Brian and Lillian Gatiss bought the property and moved in in 1989.
Bay Cottage, Greenfield Lane Estate No. 35 Tithe No. 182
Bay Cottage c. 1920 with Oliver Stone
Bay Cottage 1970 showing additional window, but otherwise not much change
In 1761 William Sandy is given “All that little piece of arable ground containing about ½ tard lying in Little Green against Mr Jones’ orchard in Bawdrip. Gift in consideration of erecting a cottage”.
We know that Mr Jones was the leaseholder of what is now The Grange and No. 1 Church Road and his orchard lay behind the dwelling. We have, therefore, made the assumption that Bay Cottage is the cottage referred to here as it is the only one sited against Mr Jones’ orchard. This cottage is given the estate no. 35 on the rent roll dated 1762.
8.11.1769 William Sandy aged 38 holds the lease on the property on the lives of himself, Ann his wife and Jacob Durston, aged 4. Rental 1s per annum.
20.6.1771 Lease No. 35 on the lives of William Sandy, Ann his wife and Jacob Durston excluded from Article of Agreement with Mary Jeffries.
The rent rolls show William Sandy with the same rental up to 1781. There is no further record of William Sandy after that date.
1841 census George Giles, farmer, aged 58 a farm labourer. Wife Sarah (nee Tucker, sister of William Tucker of The Croft) aged 35, son George aged 20 a farm labourer. The Tithe Award 1841 shows that Walter Williams was the leaseholder.
1851 census George Giles, aged 32 agricultural labourer. Wife Susannah (nee Pople) aged 34, schoolmistress, James Pople aged 8, nephew.
1861 census George Giles aged 58, farm labourer, Susannah wife, aged 44, James Pople aged 18 nephew and Elizabeth aged 11 niece.
George Giles died in 1875 and his widow Susannah died in 1882.
1885 Robert Stone, who was a carter for Emmanuel Brake, was the tenant and it was owned by Jeffreys Allen.
1891 census Richard Stone, aged 64, farm labourer. Wife Harriet aged 64. Children John 24, Laura 18 grand-daughter and Frank 9, grand-son.
1901 census Simon Stone, aged 33, born in Bawdrip; occupation carter on farm; wife Florence aged 28 born Puriton; children Alice aged 9; Walter aged 6; Oliver aged 4, Frances aged 1.
1902 Tenant Simon Stone, owner Jeffreys Allen.
1910 Simon Stone bought the property for £112.
1940 Florence Stone, widow and Jack Stone (brother), children Oliver and Emily. It was subsequently the home of Oliver Stone (the blind basket maker), who lived there with his younger sister Emily. Oliver was very accomplished at his craft and people came from far and wide to buy his baskets. He and his donkey and cart were a familiar sight around the village. He harvested withies from a withy bed at the end of Eastside Lane. Emily looked after him until he died in 1975, aged 78. Emily continued living in Bay cottage until the end of her days in 1983 aged 73.
Oliver Stone in little workshop attached to Bay Cottage
Emily Stone in withy bed, Eastside Lane
On 25.4.1984 the cottage was auctioned at the Knowle Inn and purchased by Brian Burgh of Cossington for £27,000. Brian renovated and extended the property and then sold it to a Scotsman from West Huntspill. He only lived there for approx. six months before selling it to Tony Smith. Tony and his then partner Gillian Tinniswood (who later became his wife) owned the property until 1999 when it was sold to David Dixon and Jackie Curtis for a price well in excess of £100,000.
The cottage had been thatched prior to 1898.
[1] Thomas the son of Thomas snr and Ann, nee Dimmeade who held a cottage paying a copyhold rental of 2s in 1771 and prior to that his grandfather Thomas held the same property in 1743 paying the same rental. The cottage at that time contained 18 perches.
[2] Grace Callow left £90 as a charity to be administered by The Official Trustees of Charitable Funds.
[3] Before 1863 the Pole’s had lived at Greenfield Cottage, Greenfield Lane.
Gnome Cottage c. 1997
Bay Cottage 1970 showing additional window, but otherwise not much change
