History of Whitwells Farm

Originally named Whitwells Farm and covering 28 acres, the earliest part of the property dates back to 1575 and was one of five farms in the area, the others being Cross Farm, Moor Farm, Bedfords Farm and Middle Farm (since demolished). Some of the earliest recorded owners and/or tenants are William Bartholomew (1739), who left the property to his grandson William Cobbett, who was aged only about 10 in 1746. By 1764 he too had died and left the property to his brother John Cobbett, and trustees William and John Goodchild. They in turn left part of the estate to James Elmes in 1785, who may be the son or grandson of Massey Elmes who was Wm. Bartholomew's sister. The whole of the property passed to Elmes in 1793 and he continued to live at Whitwells Farm until 1818.

From 1818 to1831 Michael Ham the elder occupied the property, which eventually passed to his son, also Michael, who stayed until 1870. Apart from William Heath in 1871 there are no further records until 1893, when John Cracknell was the resident of Whitwells Farm which was owned by Joseph Stone until 1902. There followed a high succession of residents, including Henry Fuller and William Agar, which probably means they were tenants. 1937 Audrey Lee Warner paid £2,300 for the reduced area of 6 acres that included what is today both sides of Kingsmead, Garrick Way, Gloucester Close, Hadleigh Gardens and part of Gresham Way. Over the years various owners of the property and once arable farmland have sold off plots of land leaving the three quarters of an acre that you see today.

In 1998 during building works for the previous owners, 82 pieces of pottery were unearthed, These came from a limited number of vessels that may have been intact prior to their disturbance. The bulk of the pots are Alice Holt / Farnham industry products but the presence of other vessels suggests some may be from a disturbed burial. Experts have dated the pieces from the Hadrianic (117-138AD) or early Antonine (138-161 AD) periods. A large rubbish dump was uncuvered during building works in the garden which gave up an assortment of interesting bottles and jars, and various pieces of broken domestic pottery, some of which have been dated back to the 1880s. The house too has yielded various treasures during renovation including coins, toys, and tools. The huge walnut tree which stands just beyond the corner of the swimming pool is probably 100 -120 years old, as is the very bent apple tree at the end of the pool which survives thanks to expert pruning. In the past few years the previous owners changed the appearance of the garden to the front of Whitwells Farm by removing a row of conifers and erecting a new wall, all in accordance with the property's Grade II Listed Building status.

Return to Whitwells Farm

Index of Sites / Index 2008 / Map 2008 / List of Gardens 2008