FONTMELL MAGNA COTTAGE BOOK 1893
This manuscript was compiled by W.R. Day, Sir Richard Glyn’s estate factor, or land agent, in 1893. He listed all the Estate farms, houses and cottages, together with the tenants at that time. Where possible, information from the 1891 Census has been added detailing the tenants’ occupations. It was noted in the cottage book that the population in 1891 was 637; the acreage noted as 2053 and the number of houses in the village was 160 but this may not have included any freehold properties. Eight maps were drawn in total, but in the list and map which follow only ‘central’ Fontmell is described. This is where the majority of dwellings were numbered as listed. The present-day names of some of the cottages have also been included.
The rest of the parish will be the subject of a later article.
Owing to the rambling nature of the village, this map has been
Map of village centre, Fontmell Magna
re-drawn in three parts to enable it to be magnified and therefore improve the clarity when you click on the picture. The roads are now named North Street, Lurmer Street and South Street (which form part of the A350) and Parsonage Street, The Knapp, West Street and Church Street.
The Cottage Book provides an extremely valuable adjunct to the census returns. It is probably more accurate in its details about who lived where, even though it only includes the head of household. In the 19th century census returns, the names of streets often appear to have been invented by the enumerator and the collection route unsystematic. It also reveals the location of some cottages no longer in existence.
Cross House
1 Sir Richard Glyn and Emily Thick, Housekeeper, lived in Cross House
2 Eliza Lush
3 Mr Tatchell, Saddler lived in Brook House
4 Mrs Ridout
5 Mrs Dennis
6 Sarah Lawrence, widow, and Miss Lodge a school teacher
7 Robert Lawrence an Agricultural Labourer
8 Mr Meech, a Baker, now known as Cleeve Cottage
9 Thomas Beck, an Agricultural Labourer, now known as Fosse Cottage
10 Henry Shute, occupation, Sexton, part of cottage now known as Fosse Cottage
11 John Still, an Agricultural Labourer, part of cottage now known as Watermill Cottage
12 Mary Bowles, previous occupants, Dressmaker, and Mrs Blandford, Watermill Cottage
13 William Brockway, Brewer’s Labourer
14 Mr Stanton, a Shopkeeper
15 Mrs Lawrence, a widow
16 Thomas Tinney
17 Mr Tuffin
18 unoccupied in 1893
19 Mr Moody, Farmer, Middle Farm House
20 Tom Ridout, Dairyman, also in this cottage, Betsey Wick, Betsey Spicer, Laundress and Jane Grant and Leah Still, both Seamstresses
20a Mr or Mrs or Miss Hart
The Crown Inn
21 Mr A Sibeth, Brewer, Mr Windsor, the Publican of The Crown Public House also Mr Mark Lampard who lived in the pub, occupation, gardener
22 Thomas Cole, Agricultural Labourer, lived in cottage now known as Mole Cottage
23 Fanny Gifford, Widow and
Collyers Cottage
Washerwoman from Colliers Cottage
24 Nehemiah Adlam, Agricultural Labourer, lived in Tudor Cottage
25 unoccupied
26 Mr or Mrs or Miss Holly
27 unoccupied
28 Tom Lawrence, previous occupant, now lived in by Mr Lane
29 empty
30 empty, now named Ferring Cottage
31 Joseph Polden
32 Mary A Still, a Widow
33 Charles Jenkins, Blacksmith now named Willow Cottage
North Street, Fontmell Magna
34 Mr Hillier, Thatcher, now named Chelwood Cottage
35 (no tenant noted, so empty or perhaps no longer part of the Estate)
36 George Hart, Baker, now named Home Mead Cottage
37 No tenant, but cottage is now No 6 North Street
38 Mr Tucker, now named Greengage Cottage
39 Henry Tuffin, an Agricultural Labourer, cottage named Fox Hollow
40 Fred Merrifield, a Farm Servant, lived in cottage now called Boundary Cottage
41 Thomas Tuffin, an Agricultural Labourer
42 Elijah Tucker, an Agricultural Labourer
43 Mr Barnes, farmer and Churchwarden, lived in Manor Farm
44 2. Mr Andrews, a carpenter
Mill Street and South Street Parsonage Street, Fontmell Magna
45.1 Edwin Lawrence, also a carpenter
46 Arthur Stainer, Tailor, Middle Mill
47 Mr Short
48 (as no. 35 above)
49 William Haines, Estate Carpenter, lived in cottage now known as Eastyard House
Glebe Cottage, Parsonage Street
50 James Cole, part of Glebe Cottage, now one house, previously 3 cottages
51 Mr Martin, Groom, part of Glebe Cottage
52 Mr Boudeth, gardener, part of Glebe Cottage
53 William Spicer and John Spicer, both carpenters, and Mrs Sims
54 Arthur Lawrence, woodman
55 George White, occupation unknown lived in cottage now known as Southwinds
56 Henry Merrifield, an agricultural labourer, lived in cottage now known as Nursery Cottage
57 P.C. Lurcombe, Policeman, lived in the Police House, previously, The Tollhouse linkimageright:1014
58 Mr J Edwards, West Lea
The Toll House, South Street
59 H. Gladdis, School Master
60 Charles Tuffin, Butcher, cottage now named Gossip Tree Cottage
61 Henry Hart, Shopkeeper/Grocer, now Gable Cottage
62 Mr Reeves
63 Josiah Merrifield, a general labourer or farm servant
64 the Estate Clerk’s residence
65 Mrs Hart
66 George Feltham
67 William Still Junr. labourer in brewery
68 James Meech Junr. Agricultural labourer
69 unoccupied, now named Dairy Cottage
70 Mr Wake, farmer and Churchwarden, lived in Moores Farm
Holbrook, Church Street
71 Tom Lawrence, a farm servant, lived in Holbrook
72 Mr Linton
73 Henry Jenkins, a Shepherd
74 Tom Still, carrier of corn, from Plum Tree Cottage
75 Amelia Spicer, she made sweets for a living, and Mrs Warren
75 Mrs Hay, together with Miss Edwards in a cottage now known as Pump Cottage
76 Thomas Stark, gamekeeper, now known as Croft Farm
Author: Gay Mole
