St. Anthony’s Cottage
It was included in the Barrells Estate sale of 1856 as part of Lot 14 which was the Spur Inn.
Later included in Barrells Estate sale, October 23rd 1924.
St. Mark’s Close (1-12)
St. Mark’s Close was built on a field that had been owned by St. Mark’s Charity. The Charity would rent the field to a tenant. In March 1943 the Trustees were approached by Stratford-on-Avon District Council to sell the field to them for Housing of Agricultural Workers. The Trustees declined the approach; one of the reasons given was that as the field was situated in the village opposite the school that it would make an ideal playing field for the children. However the District Council persisted in their approach and in December 1945 it became apparent that the District Council would purchase the field by compulsion if necessary. The following February the Trustees agreed to accept an offer of £450.
Twelve Council Houses were built. The architect, Francis Walter Bagnall Yorke and the District Council received an award from the Ministry of Local Government and Planning for the design – one of the best designed schemes out of 358 schemes completed during 1950.
The policy of right to buy was introduced in 1980 and several tenants bought their houses, some of which have since been extended. Also in 1980 ten parking spaces were created in the close as originally none of the houses had private drives (see 1948 plan – note not quite as built).
St. Mark’s Cottages (1 & 2)
Probably late 18th or early 19th Century.
Two cottages belonging to St. Mark’s Charity. A report for the Charity dated 1865 stated “The two cottages adjoining the Spur Inn in the occupation of Mrs Waters and William Munslow are in good repair, a slate or two only out of place, and Munslow’s cottage requires cleaning and whitewashing. These tenants are also inconvenienced for want of water. The foundations of these cottages are damp”.
In 1969 an extension containing a bathroom and coal house was added to both cottages.
In 2020 a two storey extension was added to the rear of the cottages and alterations were made to the internal layout.
St. Mary’s Close (1-12)
In the 1970s the ten houses & two bungalows at St. Mary’s Close were built, replacing the old council houses that were on this site. The old houses apparently incorporated unsatisfactory construction details imposed on the local authority by government decree in the 1920s. (Source: Parish Mag April 1982).
The policy of right to buy was introduced in 1980 and some tenants took the opportunity to purchase their homes.
Sandon House, Gentlemans Lane
Sandon House was built in the mid 1990s by Terry and Pauline Hill. It replaced a house, Tanzey House, which was built c1922 by Mr Everson. He was an estate agent and one of the early Ullenhall car owners; he delighted in helping people without transport in the first years of the war [Parish magazine Dec1993]. In 1966 John and Juliet Meaking and son Sheridan moved in to Tanzey House [Parish Magazine June 1994].
School House
The School House was built in 1876 as the Teacher’s house for the adjoining School. The first inhabitant was Miss Anne Emma Ward, Village Schoolmistress, who “entered her new home on Tuesday” (School Log Book 9th Oct 1876). The Newtons built the School and School House.
By the 1920s Mr. Newton was letting the Teacher’s house to the School Managers for £12 per annum, who in turn were sub-letting it to the County Council for a like sum. In 1920 Mr. Newton intended to sell the School and Teacher’s house to the County Authority for £2,000. For some reason (possibly due to complications regarding the School) this sale did not go ahead and the School House was one of the properties included in the Barrells Estate sale of October 23rd 1924. The County Council did not purchase it at that point. However the County Council Education Committee minutes of July 1925 stated “We understand that this house can be purchased for £475, each party to pay its own costs, and as in the event of the house not being taken they may be great difficulty in finding a house for the Head Teacher, we recommend – …the Council purchase the house…”. The County Council then purchased the House by virtue of a conveyance dated 21st December 1925 between Andrew George Hoseason (1) the Warwickshire County Council (2). The house was then either lived in by the School Head Teacher or, if the Head Teacher did not require it, it was let to a County Council employee.
In 1959 Ullenhall School was extended. This meant that the School House had to be altered as two of the downstairs rooms of the house were required to be the Infants Cloakroom, Stockroom and Toilets. Therefore a Living Room and Bedroom were added to the other side of the house. The house continued to be let by the County Council until it was purchased by the tenants in the 1990s. In exchange for some of the School House garden for the development of the School site, the infants cloakroom, stock room and toilets were returned to the house.
Shenstone, Ullenhall Lane
Shepherds Cottage, Chapel Lane
In 1800 John Snape surveyed the ‘Estates in the Manors of Mockley and Aspley in the parish of Wootton Wawen belonging to the Provost and Scholars of King’s College Cambridge’ [WCRO Z190/7]. One of the properties included in this survey was the house now known as ‘Shepherds Cottage’. Joseph Hemming was the tenant of the house and garden, along with ‘College close’, the field behind the property.
On the 1843 Tithe map the house, garden and ‘college close’ still belonged to King’s College Cambridge. College close was cultivated as meadow. The occupier at this time was Thomas Adcock.
It is not always easy to work out who lived in which property using the census returns. However from the 1881 census it seems probable that James Wilkins lived at the cottage with his wife Mary, daughter and granddaughter. James Wilkins was 55 years old and a Shepherd. In 1891 he was still living there (although the house is identified as one of two Brick Yard cottages). In 1901 it is likely that William Palmer lived there with his family. William was a ‘Shepherd on Farm’.
At some point the property must have been purchased by the Newton family of Barrells Hall as it was included in the Barrells Estate sale June 26th 1919 (Lot 6).
In 2014 permission was given for substantial alterations.
Spindle Wood
Springfield, Perry Mill Lane
A bungalow built by Mr Harris probably in the early 1930s as a retirement bungalow after he had given up farming. The bungalow was knocked down and replaced with a house in 1996.
Springfields, Ullenhall Lane
Built in 1955.
The house was built in 1955 and Ivy and Jimmy Wild, along with their son Peter moved in. [Parish Magazine Feb 1992]
Springlands, Tanworth Lane
Stanley Cottage, Deans Green (2 Stanley Villas)
Stanley Cottage and Brook Cottage are a pair of houses called ‘Stanley Villas’. Not much is known about them; however the Census (1851-1891) shows the Stanley family living at Deans Green so perhaps there is a connection with them.
Stonecott
In September 1954 John Earle sold an area of land with planning permission to build two houses, Stonecott and Latchetts, to Pheobe Lodder and Albert Wileman.
Sundew, Tanworth Lane
Sunnycroft, Blunts Green
Tanzey House, Gentlemans Lane see Sandon House
Thatched Lodge, Church Road see Wyndspoint
The Bungalow, Blunts Green see Four Acres
The Bungalow, Deans Green
In the 1930s Gladys and Jack Rogers built a bungalow on this site (source: Parish Magazine February 1992). In 2007 planning permission was granted for the bungalow to be demolished and replaced with a two storey house.
The Coppice
Built early 1990s, it replaced a previous cottage. This cottage which fronted the road was part of Heath Lodge and in sales particulars of 1935 is described as containing “Porch, Entrance Passage, Living Room with oven grate, Larder, Scullery with sink and copper, and three Bedrooms.” [DR165/1099] The cottage was demolished and The Coppice was built on adjoining land as a replacement.
The Cottage
It is listed on the 1843 Tithe map. On the 1891 Census it is called ‘Ullenhall Slaughterhouse’ although the occupant, Alfred Hemming, is a tailor.
The Croft, Blunts Green
The Lodge see Luxborough House
The Lodge House, Grimshaw Hill
Built between 1925 and 1938 Lodge Cottage was included with Oldberrow Court when the Grimshaw Hill Estate was sold in 1957. It was described as an excellent detached modern cottage.
Lodge Cottage was replaced by The Lodge House c2005.
The Nook, Blunts Green
The Oaks, Perry Mill Lane
A bungalow built by Mr Harris in the late 1930s as a retirement home for him and his wife. He had previously had built the adjacent bungalow, Springfield which his daughter and her husband moved into – Jim & Celia Lewis. The bungalow was replaced by a house in early 2000.
The Old Bakery
The building probably dates from the 1760s. John Allcott ran the Bakery from the early 1900s; the business prospered with a Grocer’s shop and petrol filling station. The shop closed in 1952 and was taken over by Mr Allcott’s grandson John Merryfield, who continued the garage side, building it up into a boat building business.
The Old Central Stores
Central Stores was built in the 1930s by Mr Leonard Course in what was the garden of Church View Cottage. Roly Jones bought it in 1936 and ran it until he retired in 1972. Mr and Mrs Davis then ran the shop until it closed in November 1978 and was converted into a house.
The Old Coffee House
Before the Coffee House was built in 1883 there had been another property on the site. The 1843 tithe schedule shows that the owner was Robert Knight and that Thomas Dolphin occupied this house, garden and shop. In a conveyance of 1837 it is described as “. . . messuage or tenement with the Wheelwright’s shop, stable yard, garden . . . now in the possession of Thomas Dolphin bounded on the East and South by the turnpike road, in the west by land belonging to King’s College Cambridge, and in the north by garden ground belonging to the said Robert Knight”. Apparently Thomas Dolphin occupied the land first as the owner and then as tenant to Mr Knight for upwards of 50 years [DR225/67]. In 1855 the tenant was Thomas Johns [DR886/10] and, as it was owned by Robert Knight as part of the Barrells Estate, it was part of the auction in 1856 (Lot15). It was then owned by Rev. H.C. Knight whose tenant in 1862 was William Edwards. It was no longer a Wheelwright’s shop, that being used as a cow house [DR225/67]. In 1882 the property was sold to T.H.G. Newton [DR225/36].
The Coffee House was built in 1883 mainly due to the generosity of Miss Newton of Heath Lodge. The architect was Mr. Lloyd and the builder was Mr. Smallwood. There were two rooms downstairs; one housed the village club and the other the all day sale of tea, coffee, biscuits, cheese etc. There were two rooms upstairs with beds to let to respectable gentlemen. [Ullenhall Parish Magazine June 1883].
The building was owned by the Newtons and in 1924, following the death of Hugh G. Newton, was included in the final sale to close his estate. It may have been at this time that it was purchased by Mr Allcott, who lived at and ran the bakery opposite.
The Coffee House was opened as Ullenhall Village Institute on Saturday November 26th 1927; the Village Institute Committee rented the building from the landlord. When the Village Hall was built in 1935, the Village Institute closed. For many years the house was known as ‘Camp House’. In the Village Institute minutes of Jan 11th 1934 reference is made to ‘Camp House’: “15/- per weekend was the price settled upon as the charge for Camp House Re Miss Halford, Brownie Pack, B’ham”.
Whilst the Institute was in operation the Committee let the building to the Birmingham Girls Club during the summer months. The landlord probably continued to let the building in a similar role after the Village Institute closed: – “Club Members’ Weekend Conference – A conference of Senior Club Members and Junior Helpers is to be held at the Camp House, Ullenhall, on Saturday and Sunday, November 20 and 21. . . . Rations will be provided at the Camp House at a charge of 3/6 per head, and members will share in the work of preparing and clearing up meals. The main subject of discussion will be ‘Youth and Post-war Planning’ . . .” [The Herald 13/11/1943].
During WWII Camp House was also used to house evacuees for a time: “5th June 1940 -Arthur Thomas, who has been staying at the Hostel for Sick Children (Camp House) was accepted this afternoon. He is an Evacuee from Ilford” [Ullenhall School Log Book].
It later became a private house known as ‘Camp House’ but in the 1980s its name was changed to ‘The Old Coffee House’.
The Old Forge
Included in Barrells Estate sale, October 23rd 1924 as “Brick and Tile Disused Freehold Smithy”, sold for £65. During the 1970s a new house was built behind and the smithy was demolished and rebuilt as the garage for the Old Forge.
The Old House, Gentlemans Lane
Grade II Listed. 17th Century with probably earlier origins and later additions and alterations including 20th Century range to left.(source: www.imagesofengland.org.uk)
On the tithe schedule of 1843 ‘The Old House’ is shown to be owned by Robert Knight. The occupiers are George and John Harrison, but it is likely that they were not actually living there as they were Robert Knight’s tenants of Moat House Farm and ‘The Old House’ looks to be part of the land and property which was included with Moat House Farm. It is included as part of Moat House Farm in the Barrels Estate Sale of 1856 (Lot 8) [DR57/23].
Lot 8 was purchased by Rev. H.C. Knight so the property became part of his ‘Ullenhall Estate’. The cottage was offered for sale in the auction of the Ullenhall Estate of 1875 as a property on its own described as a cottage, garden and meadow totalling 2 acres 1 perch and 20 roods. The tenant at this time was Mr Dutton [DR1110/33]. In 1871 William Dutton was 63 years old, an agricultural labourer married to Rhoda. Two of their sons lived with them William (37) and George (16). [1871 census].
The cottage was either withdrawn from the sale in 1875, or failed to sell, as it was offered for sale in the 1919 auction of ‘The Ullenhall Estate’ (Lot 7);it was being let to Mr. Edwin Hanson, who was the tenant at Moat House Farm. We do not know who bought it at this auction, perhaps Mr. Hanson.
The following article appeared in the Stratford Herald 23rd May 1947: “Just after the First World War an Ullenhall farmer brought an old cottage in Gentleman’s Lane Ullenhall, near Henley, for £190. On Thursday week Messrs Leonard Carver and Co sold it at an auction in Birmingham for £7,500.
True, it is not quite the cottage it was twenty five years ago. In fact, it has seen several changes. At one time it came into the possession of a man from the Black Country who covered the outside walls with bits of coloured crockery and glass. It became a byword throughout the countryside. Subsequently its inherent attractiveness as a 16th century timbered cottage was realised and a lot of money was spent on it. For the recent sale it was described as “An expensively modernised old-world gem.”
Although its accommodation is limited (two bedrooms and an “occasional” bedroom), its appointments inside and out leave nothing to be desired. The property was sold by direction Mr. J P Clarke, who is reported to have paid about £3,000 for it last year.”
It has been extended a few times since 1947, including a large wing to the rear.
In 1959 George and Joan Phillips moved to The Old House. George was a self-employed metal merchant specialising in non-ferrous metals, mainly brass. Their garden had ducks and chickens roaming freely and wild pheasants also came to feed. They were fond of cats and had an electrically heated shed which George had provided for strays. Both George and Joan Phillips were keen photographers and a number of the photographs that are in the Ullenhall archive were taken by them. Joan died in 1985 and George moved to Mockley Manor c1993. [Parish Magazine March 1994]. The Old House was sold and the new owners altered and extended the cottage.
The Old Post Office
The Old Post Office was originally two cottages. They pre date 1843 as they are on the tithe schedule of that date. In his Will of 1857 Thomas Vaughan stated that the rent from this property should go to his wife Sarah, then on her death to Sarah Maria Hickman, then to her husband William Endall. When William Endall died in 1878 the properties were part of a property auction held on Monday 12th August at the White Swan Hotel, Henley-in-Arden. They were purchased by John Smallwood, a builder & contractor from Wootton Wawen for £167 10s. “All those two newly erected messuages or tenements with the Gardens Orchard entry or passage outbuildings and appurtenances . . . formerly in the occupation of John Houghton and Thomas Pardington afterwards of John Houghton and Thomas Gazy and now of [blank]. All which . . . are bounded on or near the north or north-west sides thereof by a messuage or tenement garden and premises . . . and on or near all or some part of the south or south-east side thereof by a Blacksmiths Shop buildings and premises in the occupation of William Hemming. Together with use of the pump now standing and being on or near to the premises hereby granted jointly with the owners or occupiers of the adjoining messuage and premises for the time being the said John Smallwood . . . paying a proportionate part of the expenses of keeping such pump with the well thereunto belonging in repair” (Indenture dated 13th September 1878, kindly lent by Mr & Mrs Penny).
By 1891 the cottages had become one house with Catherine Cooke running the Post Office and Grocer’s shop from it. Mr. William Washington Richards ran the Post Office and Grocer’s shop from 1894. John Smallwood died in 1915 and in his Will he left his grocer’s shop and post office at Ullenhall to his wife’s nieces, Caroline Brissenden and Elizabeth Wakefield.(Coventry Evening Telegraph 10/11/1915)
Presumably William Washington Richards bought the premises at some point. From 1933 his daughter Miss Richards, later Mrs Sparrow, ran the business. She retired in 1978 and moved to Walmer Cottage. The post office building was sold and converted into a house by John and Anna Best.
The Old School
Ullenhall School was built in 1876. After it closed in 1987 there were attempts to find a use for the building that would benefit the village but this was not possible. It was sold by public auction in 1995. Local builder, Chris Judge, bought it and converted the School into a house.
The Old Stores
The building is included on the 1843 Tithe map. On the 1891 Census it is called ‘Ullenhall Bakehouse’, although the occupant, Richard Hemming, was an agricultural labourer. John Allcott started his bakery business on the premises around 1902, and later Mr Chattaway ran his bakery business from here.
At the time that the property was included in Barrells Estate sale of June 26th 1919 Mr Tatnall, grocer & draper, was the tenant. By 1932 Stephen Impey was running the business which included a cafe and taxi business. In 1955 Tom & Mona Ivers took over and concentrated on groceries and newspaper provision. When they retired in 1977 the shop closed and they continued to live in the premises as a private house.
The Old Thatch, Perry Mill Lane
Grade II Listed. 17th Century with outshut to rear and later additions and alterations including extension set back to left. (source: www.imagesofengland.org.uk)
On the tithe schedule of 1843 the cottage and garden is owned by John Tarleton and occupied by William Hemming. The 1910 Finance Act schedule shows the cottage was occupied by Jas Keasy and the owner was JH Tarlton.
The Pastures, Grimshaw Hill
The Woottons, Forde Hall Lane
Built c2000 as an agricultural workers dwelling.
Three Firs, Deans Green
The original bungalow was built by Harry Tomlin. (source Parish Mag 1996)
It was demolished in 2008 and replaced with a new house.
Toms Close (1 & 2)
Two houses built by Chase Homes in 2007 on the site of Clayton’s Builders Yard.
Treboro House
Built prior to 1956 by Mr and Mrs Philip Dyer. In 1970 Hilda and Charles Bottoms moved to Treboro House, they were active in village life; Hilda Bottoms was a churchwarden and Charles was chairman of the parish council for many years. Mrs Bottoms died in 1996 and the house was sold after Mr Bottoms died. The house was remodelled c2009.
Twelve Elms, Blunts Green
Walmer Cottage
It was included in the Barrells Estate sale of 1856 as part of Lot 14 which was the Spur Inn.
Also included in the Barrells Estate sale, October 23rd 1924.
Walnut Hill Farm
Built c1990 as an agricultural workers dwelling.
Well Cottage, Hunger Hill
Well Cottage was once two cottages; the tithe map and schedule of 1843described it as ‘two cottages and garden’ owned by Farmer Gee and occupied by John Blick and another. The plot size measured 33 perches.
In 1870 two cottages at Hungerhill were advertised to be sold:
“To be sold by auction. By W. ENDALL and SON at the White Swan Hotel, Henley-in-Arden, on MONDAY NEXT, May 20, at Six o’clock, p.m., in the following Lots, and subject to conditions to be then produced:-
. . .
Lot 4 – Two FREEHOLD COTTAGES, with Gardens, containing 33 perches, situated at Hungerhill in the parish of Wootton Wawen, on the west side of the road leading from Henley-in-Arden to Redditch, now occupied by Simon Lucas and Joseph Stanley, at yearly rents amounting to £9.
This lot has a frontage to the road of 194 yards, and is bounded by land belonging to Mr. J. Cooke.
The whole of the lots are in good repair, and well supplied with water”.
[Birmingham Daily Post, May 26 1870]
Presumably these two cottages were Well Cottage. Simon Lucas was an 82 year old retired farmer. Joseph Stanley, a 31 year old agricultural labourer, lived there with his wife Mary, and their children Amelia, Charles and Walter [1871 census].
The Finance Act map and schedule (c. 1910) shows that the property was owned by H.G. Newton; perhaps his father T.H.G. Newton purchased it at the 1870 auction. The occupier of one of the cottages was Mrs Davies. Elizabeth Davis was 63 years old and a laundress [1911 census]; she had probably lived at the cottage for many years as on the 1881 William and Elizabeth Davis are shown to be living at Hunger Hill with two children Samuel and Lucy.
Westerley
In the Barrells Estate Sale of 1919 the land on which Westerley is built was part of Lot 16 and consisted of a garden in the occupation of Mr Tatnall, who lived at the shop and house opposite (now The Old Stores), and a small paddock in the occupation of Mr. Friend, who farmed at Crowleys Farm.
Westfield
It appears that the cottage now known as ‘White Cottage’ was extended sometime between 1887 and 1905 to become a larger house called “The Laburnums”. The extension was a late Victorian/early Edwardian style. Later on, sometime during the twentieth century, the building was split into two properties – ‘White Cottage’ and what is now known as ‘Westfield’.
White Cottage is not shown on the Ordnance Survey first series of 1831. The triangle of land where it and Westfield are situated was shown to be owned and occupied by Samuel Johns on the 1843 tithe schedule. Samuel Johns put his property up for auction in 1848. The property was described as “All those two Freehold Messuages or tenements, with Gardens, Out-buildings and Appurtenances thereto belonging, and also Two Capital Wheelwrights and Blacksmiths Shops. Adjoining, and now occupied by the Proprietor, Mr Samuel Johns and Mr George Monro, respectively . . .”. [DR134/77/10]. One of the properties may have been Church View Cottage, but it is not clear whether the other property was White Cottage, which may have been built by this time, or another cottage. (There was another cottage situated on this triangle of land, opposite the Old Coffee House, but later documents suggest that this was not part of the property in this sale).
The auction was held at the Spur Inn on Tuesday 1st February 1848. Three of the bidders were Mr Stephens £100; Mr Lane £230; Mr Podmore £235.
George Podmore was the purchaser. He was a Cooper [1851 Census], Wheelwright & Grocer [1861 Census]. In 1851 George Podmore was 35 years old, his wife Mary Ann was 34 years old; they had eight children all under the age of 12. The 1861 census shows that they had at least two more children, Walter aged 5 and William aged 3. By 1871 George and Mary still had their son Walter living with them, but also a 3 year old grandson William G. Laing. Interestingly in 1911 a William George Laing, aged 43 and a newspaper proprietor, was living at Heath Lodge with his family.
George Podmore died in 1900 and it seems that his son William then lived at the house. William Podmore was 42 years old and a wood carver, working from home. Living with him was his 10 year old niece, Ethel Podmore, and their housekeeper, Enid Coates [1901 census].
Sometime between 1887 and 1905 [OS County Series] an extension was added to ‘White Cottage’ to form a much larger, grander house. It is not clear whether this was carried out by George or William Podmore, or by someone else, but as the property was owned by the Podmore family it seems likely that it was built at the instigation of a member of that family.
The Finance Act Map (c1910) showed that ‘The Laburnums’ was owned by ‘Trustees of E. Podmore’. The property consisted of what is now ‘Westfield’ & ‘White Cottage’, and the gardens. It did not include ‘Church View Cottage’ and its garden, now Central Stores.
By 1911 ‘The Laburnums” was being let to Mr John Dobson, a retired Leather Merchant, who lived there with his wife, two grown-up unmarried daughters, a married daughter and her husband, and a servant. The census shows that the house had eleven rooms.
Mr Dobson was still living there at the beginning of 1914, but must have given up the tenancy as Miss Podmore was trying to sell the property.
“At the Grand Hotel, Birmingham, yesterday afternoon, Messrs Hutton, Thompson and Colbourne offered for sale by auction certain properties at Ullenhall, Henley-in-Arden, Claverdon, Beausale, and Solihull. . . . Lot two was offered by direction of Miss Podmore, and consisted of a freehold country residence “The Laburnums”, Ullenhall, with outbuildings, the whole let to Mr. J. T. Dobson on an annual tenancy expiring on March 25th at a rent of £25 per annum. This property failed to find a purchaser . . .” (Stratford Herald 6/3/1914).
A month later ‘The Laburnums’ was advertised to be let “The Laburnums, commodious and pleasantly situated; good garden, stable, coach-house. Rent £30 – To view, Mr Friend, Crowleys, Ullenhall” [Birmingham Daily Post 14/4/1914]. It was proving difficult to let, in June 1914 it was again advertised to be let, or ‘would sell’[Birmingham Daily Post 3/6/1914]. It is not clear whether Mr Friend had bought the property from Miss Podmore or whether he was just acting on her behalf.
In August 1914 Germany invaded Belgium. This led to an influx of refugees from Belgium in to Britain. They were housed and given jobs by local communities throughout the country. The inhabitants of Ullenhall were keen to do their bit for the war effort and “The Laburnums” was provided as a home for the refugees.
“The Belgian Refugees – In connection with the Belgian Relief Fund at Ullenhall the headmistress and teachers associated with the local schools have organised a series of whist drives to take place at the school-room, and it is hoped, having in view the deserving object of the undertaking, that they will be well patronised. The series has commenced this week. A party of Belgian refugees are also being welcomed to the locality, and we learn that a commodious vacant house in the village, “The Laburnums” has been secured for the purpose, and is being nicely fitted up with the object of promoting the comfort of these unfortunate and homeless people. This has been done chiefly through the instrumentality and enthusiasm of Mrs. Newton, of Barrells Hall, who has devoted much time and trouble on behalf of the good cause in hand. The local inhabitants are also responding well in various ways. From twelve to eighteen refugees are expected, but the number largely depends upon their families”. (Stratford Herald 13/11/1914).
“The Belgian Fund – The series of whist drives which are being held in the school-room for the benefit of the Belgian Fund in the locality have so far been very well patronised. There have been three pleasant functions of this kind since the commencement, these taking place on Monday in each week. In connection with the Belgian refugees and the accommodation provided at “The Laburnums”, which has been well fitted up, it is possible that this commodious residence may be found useful and of good service in relieving any pressure which may be experienced in accommodating wounded soldiers, failing its need for the refugees. The flags of the Allies have been hoisted outside the building, and impart quite a patriotic touch to the surroundings”. (Stratford Herald 4/12/1914).
“. . . The Belgians are being well cared for . . . it is interesting to note that the large house at Ullenhall known, we understand, as “The Laburnums”, is now occupied by twelve Belgian refugees, who arrived on Wednesday last week, two more being expected. The residence is nicely furnished for them, and they appear to be very happy and comfortable in their new abode. Two of the men, it is stated have been found employment in the locality, and a third has been promised work as an engineer in the Midland metropolis . . .”. (Stratford Herald 15/01/1915).
Situated on what is now the garden of Westfield used to be a cottage and two gardens (adjacent to Church View Cottage). These were part of Robert Knight’s Barrel’s Estate and were included in the Estate sale of 1856, when they were purchased by Rev. H.C. Knight. In 1859 he sold these to George Podmore “. . . the Cottage and garden occupied by Samuel Pugh & the adjoining garden occupied by William Pugh fronting the road from Beoley to Henley-in-Arden bounded on one side by hereditaments belonging to George Podmore of Ullenhall & on the other side by the road from Tanworth to Henley-in-Arden . . .” [DR225/36]. This cottage was still standing c1887. It is shown on the 1887 ordnance survey map, but is not on the 1905 map; it may have been demolished when The Laburnums/Westfield was built.
In 1956 John Millward was appointed Head of Henley-in-Arden J&I School, and the family moved to Westfield. Mr Millward died in 1977 and his wife Lillian in 1988. Their daughter Dr Diana Millward continued to live there with her Aunt Ebby, but the house was too large for two people and they moved in 1990 [Parish Magazine July 1994].
White Cottage
Please refer to ‘Westfield’.
Additional information:
In 1928 Olive Allcott (whose father owned the bakery) married George Merryfield. Just before the Second World War they returned to Ullenhall, living first at White Cottage which at that time was called Ivy Cottage. They moved next door to Westfield for a short time but by 1947 they had moved to Sunny Croft, Blunts Green. Olive Merryfield was a keen motorist, starting with a motorcycle as soon as she was old enough to ride. This was followed by a car for which she had a garage built opposite White Cottage. [Parish Magazine July 1994]. The garage was still there until quite recently, a lovely dilapidated wooden garage standing on the road side, but it has now collapsed and only the roof can be seen.
White Gate Cottage
The 1843 tithe map and schedule shows that the property was owned and occupied by Benjamin Turner. Benjamin Turner was aged 60 and a tailor who would have been conducting his trade from the property. He lived there with his wife, Sarah and 11 year old grandson, John. There were also three other tailors – Richard Harrison, John Lowes? and John Edkins. Benjamin was still a tailor in 1851. By this time he was employing two men – his grandson, John and Francis Hemming. He and his wife also had a house servant, Ann Dutton.
In ‘The Worcestershire Chronicle and Provincial Railway Gazette’ 24 May 1854 there is mention of B. Turner, and this may be Benjamin: “B. TURNER v E. HOLYOAKE. – An action brought by the plaintiff, a tailor, residing at Ullenhall, near Henley-in-Arden, to recover from the defendant, a maltster, at Hanbury, in this county, the sum of 5l. 8s. 6d. for several articles of clothing supplied to the defendant, and for other work done in plaintiff’s trade. Defendant pleaded infancy; but Mr. Blick, who appeared for plaintiff, objected to the plea, inasmuch as the notice given by the defendant was defective. Mr. Doogood, who appeared for the defendant, applied for leave to amend, but his Honour refused, and gave judgement for the amount claimed and costs to be paid in a month”.
At some point the property was purchased by the Newtons and in 1911 Joseph and Alice Drinkwater lived there. Joseph was employed as a rough carpenter on the estate for Squire Newton. It was included in the Barrells Estate sale of June 26th 1919, the tenant at this time was Mr. John Neal.
Late twentieth century extensions.
White Gates, Redditch Road
White Pump Cottage, White Pump Lane
Originally two cottages they were Lot 2 in a sale including Moat House Farm (Lot 1) in 1936. They were described as “A pair of freehold cottages, known as ‘White Pump Cottages’. Brick built, with tiled roof, each containing Living Room, Scullery, and two Bedrooms with w.c. and good Garden. A well, with pump, is used jointly”.
Converted into one house, much altered and extended.
Wild Pear Cottage, Deans Green
Grade II Listed. 17th Century, enlarged c1960 with ranges to rear.(source: www.imagesofengland.org.uk)
Formerly two cottages owned by St. Mark’s Charity. A report for the charity dated 1865 stated “To these cottages some trifling repairs are required to the tiling and windows, the window to the Bakehouse in particular is much broken, this is used by both tenants . . . and also as to removing the Pig Sty’s to a distance from the cottages.”
In 1957 the Trustees decided to sell the cottages to Mrs Elsie Ireland for £1300. The Ireland family carried out extensive renovation work to create one cottage out of the former charity cottages.
“A demolished farmhouse at Shirley provided the main beam for the sitting room, the Corn Exchange at Stratford-upon-Avon supplied the joists, and the floor boards came from a row of old cottages in Henley-in-Arden. The roof was thatched with Norfolk reed.” (Newspaper article 1961.)
Elsie Ireland and her husband, Harold, were also able to purchase two fields adjacent to the cottage in order to create their own nature reserve. They planted roughly half of it with indidenous trees, whilst the rest was left as grazing land encouraging the development of natural plant life. Since 1988 Warwickshire Wildlife Trust had been managing the reserve on a long-term lease as Harold and Elsie had retired to South Wales. Harold passed away in 2009 and Elsie in 2019 and their family gifted the reserve to the Warwickshire Wildlife Trust. (The member magazine for Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, Spring 2021).
Willow Park House, Church Road
“Built in more than three acres to the award winning plans voted Ideal Home of the Year in 1936. The design for Willow Park is reputed to have been bought off the peg at Olympia for Noel Carr of the Birmingham publishing family who bought the building plot in 1935 for £600 17s 6d.
The land had previously formed part of a 63 acre parcel sold by a Lieutenant Commander Mark Newton of Argyll to Alfred Hodgkins of Beaudesert in nearby Henley-in-Arden for the sizeable sum of £2,600.” (The Birmingham Post 30.6.2000)
Willowmead
Windfalls
The earliest mention of this bungalow is in September 1932 when Mary Hodgkins of Beaudesert Park farm sells a small parcel of land containing a bungalow to Alfred Henry Hodgkins for £50.
Woodmere
Wyndspoint, Church Road
The Thatched Lodge, known as “the Bungalow” was included in Barrells Estate sale, October 23rd 1924, sold for £530. Formerly the West Lodge to Barrells Park, which was built c1800. It was demolished c.1967 and replaced by the house known as “Wyndspoint”.
Yew Tree Cottage
This house was probably built in the latter half of the nineteenth century in the garden of White Gate Cottage.
In 1911 Louisa Holberts, a District Nurse, lived at the property.
The property was included in Barrells Estate sale of June 26th 1919, the tenant being Mrs. Wells. Originally a one up-one down cottage, it was extended in the 1950s.
Yew Tree Farm, Perry Mill Lane see Park House