Conquest House (Norton Court Estate Cottage No 2)
In the early 1800s the piece of land where Enderleigh, No 3 Cold Elm, now stands was Plot No 374, known as Cold Elm Ground, was 1a 1r 1p in area and was owned by Thomas Rudge. There were no buildings on this plot, in fact, the only building on that side of the old road was directly opposite Wainlode Lane. Thomas Rudge also owned other land around the village at that time including Plot Nos 373, 375 and 386 on the following plan.
Extract from the 1807 Inclosure Act map for Norton
Thomas Rudge does not appear on the Land Tax schedules for Norton in 1796 so must have been a new arrival in the village around this time. The plot of land can’t be identified any earlier than 1807.
The divisions between Plot Nos 373, 374 and 375 get a little blurred at this time but a Norton Court Estate plan from 1856, see above, roughly records this area of Cold Elm. Lewis owned the cottages that are now Conquest House and Enderleigh, then Richard Vick with The Laurels, then the Mealings with the other group of cottages opposite the Wainlode Lane junction.
There had been a family of Lewis blacksmiths at Newent since the early 1700s and Joseph was descended from these. Joseph Lewis was a wheelwright of Norton when on 18 May 1811 he swore an allegation to marry Sarah Humphries at Shipton Oliffe. On 16 May 1823 Joseph was a 25 year old carpenter of Norton and a widower when he swore an allegation to remarry Alinda Bisco, a 25 year old spinster of Norton, at St Mary’s, Norton. [Perhaps the age of 25 was meant as ‘at least 25’ as Joseph was born in 1780 and Alinda in 1795]. Alinda was likely the daughter of Benjamin and Martha Bisco, a farmer of Norton. Benjamin witnessed her marriage allegation and stood bond to the sum of £500. Benjamin was still farming at Norton in 1826 but I can find nothing more about the Biscos at Norton although Martha has a memorial in the churchyard from her death in 1835 aged 83. She may have suffered a long illness as her memorial reads; “Affection sore so long I bore physicians help was vain till God alone did hear my moan and ease me of my pain”.
In 1838 Joseph Lewis owned part of Plot No 374 at Cold Elm that was described as a house, buildings and a garden, of 2 rods 4 perches. The site was let to William Everiss, William Clift and William Loveridge. According to this there was only one house here then.
In 1841 William Everiss was a 30 year old agricultural labourer living with his wife Catherine and son George. William Clift was a 45 year old living with his wife Jemima and six children. William Loveridge was a 30 year old shoemaker living with his wife Mary and four children. Other than saying that they all lived at Norton, however, the census doesn’t say where.
By 1841 Joseph and Alinda Lewis had moved to Newent and were living at Broad Street with two children and extended Bisco family including Alinda’s father Benjamin. Joseph died at Newent in 1843 as did Benjamin Bisco and by 1851 the widowed Alinda and son John had returned to Cold Elm, Norton, where she had become a Post Office keeper likely in one of these cottages.
1st Edition OS 25”, 1844-1888
The property we are discussing is shown to the left of the properties in Plot No 292 on the above map. It is believed that the row of cottages here were built prior to 1828 but identifying residents through the nineteenth century has proved impossible so far. Whilst the plan from 1856, above, isn’t too clear and may not be too accurate, there does appear to be just the two cottages on this site so perhaps No 1 Cold Elm Cottages had not yet been built at this time.
Alinda Lewis was still recorded as postmistress in the 1856 Kellys Directory for Gloucestershire and in 1861 was still postmistress living at Cold elm with sons John and Joseph. Alinda died at Cheltenham in 1868 but was returned to Norton for burial. By 1871 both sons John and joseph had left Norton and were in lodgings at Gloucester.
The Gloucestershire Chronicle newspaper of 23 May 1868; “Norton, near Gloucester. to be sold by private contract, a comfortable and convenient dwelling-house, with roomy Workshops, Smith's Shop, Yard, and Garden, now and for many years occupied by Mr Healing, wheelwright, together with three cottages and gardens adjoining. The property, which is freehold, is pleasantly situated near the Kings Head, Norton, and may be seen on application to the tenants”.
By 1871 Edwin Nash, a blacksmith of Staverton, had arrived at Cold Elm, likely after the 1868 sale. In 1871 Edwin Nash was aged 25 years old, was single, a blacksmith and his sister Elizabeth was living with him as his housekeeper. By 1881, Edwin Nash is no longer at Norton but William Nash, and his wife Eliza Wakefield who he had married at St Mary’s, Norton, in 1877, were living with their children in the same property. William was Edwin’s brother, also employed as a blacksmith, and sons of Joseph Nash of Staverton.
The Gloucester Citizen newspaper of 13 May 1912 reported; “John G Villar is instructed by the executors of the late Mr Joseph Nash to sell by auction, at the Queen’s Head Inn, Longford, near Gloucester, on Thursday, May 23rd, 1912, at 7 o’clock in the evening precisely, - Parish of Norton. Lot 2 – Three freehold cottages, with gardens at rear, and blacksmiths shop, adjoining Lot, in the occupation of various weekly tenants, at rentals amounting to £19 8s per annum. Rates by landlord”. Lot 1 was No 1 Cold Elm next door also owned by Joseph Nash.
The Old Road through Cold Elm in simpler times, early 1930s.
In 1921 William Charles Slatter, wife Elizabeth Ellen and children Roland Charles, Sara Eileen and Rosemary were living in a six roomed property here. William was employed as a labourer on the Norton Court Estate reporting through Harry Bailey, the estate foreman. John Slatter, possibly a brother of William, was also in residence and also an estate labourer. William Slatter was still here in 1924.
From approximately 1926-1935 Alfred George and Fanny Beatrice Hannis and family lived at No 1 Cold Elm, next door. Bill Hannis, their son, died in 2006 but had shared some of his memories with me in 2004. “At No 2 Cold Elm lived Charles Slatter and his wife with daughters Barbara and Winifred, sons Roland and James, and Charles’ brother Jack.”
Between 1939-58 No 2 was occupied by William Charles and Elizabeth Ellen Slatter. In 1949 William Samuel and Winifred Doris Greening were also here with the Slatters. In 1955-56 Dennis W and Audrey M Limbrick were living in a caravan at No 2. In 1960 No 2 was occupied by Elizabeth Ellen Slatter and by 1966 Denis and Lily Williams had arrived.
In approximately 2000, Denis Williams who, with his wife Lily, had lived in several houses at Cold Elm from the early 1950s wrote the following; “No 2 was the home of Mr and Mrs Slatter, a lady of indomitable character she had a very hard life but always remained cheerful. On Wednesday afternoons in the summer she would open her doors and windows go to her treadle organ and the strains of ‘Abide With Me’ would echo around the village. Mr Slatter had been the local fishmonger and used to keep his delivery tricycle in the front room of his cottage. Nos 2 and 1 would fetch pails of water from my house or the Kings Head. Mr Slatter’s daughter had the mains installed at a later date, the wells in the gardens containing water of poor quality”.
Photograph taken in 1954 showing Nos 3-1 Cold Elm with Denis Williams bent over shovelling.
[2002]
In 2002 Richard C and Frances M Taylor were here.
In 2002 Peter Ball & Co, Cheltenham, were advertising the property for sale at £450,000. It was described as follows; "A beautiful linked detached cottage dating back to 1830 but modernised recently to a high standard, commanding a sizeable village plot in desirable Norton giving excellent commuter access to Gloucester, Cheltenham and Tewkesbury. Open the garden gate and enter the grounds, once over the threshold a sizeable entrance hall is the perfect place to meet and greet your family & friends, from here walk into a sizeable living room with log burner and wood stripped flooring complimented by double doors leading to a modern fitted kitchen diner with slide & hide Neff ovens and induction hob offering enough space to seat the whole family for Sunday lunch. Stairs lead up from the living room to a landing giving access to all four double bedrooms serviced by a modern family bathroom with separate shower cubicle.
Moving outside the mature low maintenance colourful garden has several seating areas to catch the sun on its daily journey but also boasts a detached home garden office and detached garage with driveway.
Conquest House, No 2 Cold Elm Cottages, to the right [2021]
