Roydon Hall Estate (1890)

Post date: Feb 18, 2013 8:54:52 AM

Held in the archives of Bedfordshire and Luton (ref OR 2383 nd) is a valuation (handwritten)of Roydon Hall Estate addressed to Messrs Baker, Folder and Appleton, solicitors, undertaken in 1890 by George Langridge, The Great Hall, Tunbridge Wells. The estate included property in East Peckham, Wateringbury and Nettlestead.

Dear Sirs,

Roydon Hall Estate, situate in the

Parishes of East Peckham, Wateringbury

and Nettlestead, Kent.

In accordance with your instructions I have surveyed this Estate which comprises the following lands and premises, viz

1. A brick and tiled Mansion called Roydon Hall containing in the Attic floor 11 bedrooms, in the First floor 11 bed and dressing rooms and I boudoir and on the ground floor Hall, Drawing Room, dinning Room, Inner Dining Room, Library, Inner Hall used as Billiard Room and the usual domestic offices: brick and tiled Stables and Coachhouses with left over, a range of brick and tiled Sheds, Two walled in Gardens with vineries and forcing houses, newly erected Gardeners Cottage Gas Works with one holder and Cottage adjoining Two bricked and tiled cottages at Woods Gate in the occupation of Amos Miles and William Waghorn Keepers Cottage in the Park brick timber and tiled with outbuildings and Pheasantries occupied by William Blanchflower-Two bricked and tiled Cottages at entrance to Park occupied by I. Yates and Widow Birkett. The above is held by Lady Lennox¹ together with 36 A. 0 R. 38 P of land divided as follows:

Schedule

2. Westbury Manor Farm in the occupation of Messrs Fremlin Bro.^s held on Lease expiring 11th October 1895 at a rental of £430 2. 6. per annum.

The Farm House is built of brick and tiled and is now occupied as two dwellings by Acott and Vennell. The Buildings at the Homestead consist of a brick timber and tiled Oast and Stowage with 8 Kilns, timber and tiled Barn and Cattle Shed, timber and tiled stables for 6 horses, timber and tiled Stables and Granary and timber built engine shed with iron roof. A range of timber and tiled Hopper Houses on South side of Lane a range of brick and tiled ditto near. Near are two brick stone and tiled Cottages in the occupation of W. Markin and J. Gibbs and a row row of 8 Cottages brick &weatherboard built and tiled in the occupation of John Cronk, J Smith Newman Mrs Marlin Hook Crayford J Bristowe and J Pears with a timber and tiled Bakehouse and Lodge adjoining.

At Birchets Homestead there are two brick timber and tiled Cottages now occupied by J. Large and J. Mills. A barn and Cattle Shed and a range of Cattle Sheds adjoining timber built and tiled.

The extent of the Farm is 190 a. 2 r. 21 p. and is divided as follows:

Schedule

3. Lands late part of Westbury Manor Farm in the occupation of Lady Lennox held on a yearly tenancy at a rent of £150 per annum

Schedule

6. Part of a Field at Nettlestead in the occupation of H. Acott on a yearly tenancy at a rent of £6 per annum.

Schedule

7. Land recently taken in exchange now in the occupation of Mr. H. Wickham as undertenant to Roger Leigh Esq at a rent of £26.10 .4. per annum

Schedule

8. Woodlands in hand

Schedule

Summary

Assuming the above Estate to be Freehold I am of opinion that its present value is Twenty eight thousand seven hundred pounds (£28,700) exclusive of the growing Timber and Underwood.

Yours faithfully

George Langridge²

Tunbridge Wells, and

28, Queen Street,

Cheapside .

London

Notes:

1. Lady Lennox was born in 1842 Minnie Augusta, daughter of William Henry Palmer (source:Wikipedia) married Edwin Adolphus Cook (1827 to 1872); in 1875, three years after the death of her first husband, she married Lord George Gordon-Lennox, a Conservative politician and Member of Parliament for Lymington between 1860 and 1874, but he died in 1877. She lived until 1913 and is commemorated in St. Michael's Church, East Peckham, along with other members of the Cook family, owners of Roydon Hall after the Twysdens. Her 'work' in East Peckham is recorded by Margaret Lawrence in her book "For all the saints: St. Michael's Church, East Peckham" (page 58). In Wateringbury she was listed first amongst the local great and good who attended the opening of the Working Men's Club in 1887. She subscribed £5 towards the costs of Wateringbury's celebrations of the Coronation in 1902 .

2. George Langridge in 1890 is unlikely to have been the George Thomas Langridge who gave evidence (as well as Matthias Lucas of Wateringbury Place) 54 years earlier in 1836 to Parliament about the Navigation of the Medway ("I live at Wateringbury; I am a land valuer and agent"). G.T. Langridge is known as one of the first occupants of The Beck when it was built and initially owned by Matthias Lucas from the late 1830s into the 1840s. In 1844 George Thomas Langridge was the valuer involved in the tithe apportionment for West Barming (National archives ref IR 29/17/20.