Mead Croft (Norton Court Estate Cottage No 12)
As you head towards Yew Tree Farm from The Green at Norton you pass a row of adjoined cottages on your right just before Yew Tree Cottage - No 176 on the following map. This building is now three separate houses but it wasn’t always that way. The property appears to have begun life as a two messuages, was later a single property before it became the three cottages that are here now. The three cottages share their early history so this will be repeated in each account.
The earliest reference I have been able to find concerning a property on this site is with an Indenture dated 10th May 1662 between Dame Gertrude Anderson of the parish of St Martyn in the Fields in the County of Middlesex, widow, of the one part and Judith Mills of the parish of Norton in the County of Gloucestershire for the other part. The Indenture talks about a property that was “…formerly in the occupation of Walter Mills and now in the possession holding or occupation of the said Judith Mills”.
A slightly later document tell us that Judith Mills, widow of Walter, and her son Walter, took out a 99 year lease on the property in what the document refers to as the fourteenth year of the reign of King Charles II. This was possibly 1663 but King Charles I was executed in 1649 and the Parliament of Scotland proclaimed Charles II as the new King. The English Parliament ruled this proclamation unlawful as the country entered the period known as the Interregnum or Commonwealth where the country became a republic under Oliver Cromwell. Charles was defeated in battle at Worcester in 1651 and fled the country where he remained in exile for the next nine years. Cromwell died in 1658 and in 1660 Charles returned to this country to rule. After this date, it is said that all legal documents were dated as though Charles had succeeded his father directly in 1649. From this final comment we can assume therefore that the 14th year of King Charles II was most likely 1663. The lease was for “… all those two messuages or tenements with their appurtenances lying and being in Norton aforesaid sometime in the tenure holding or possession of one Arthur Mauncell … and then of the said Walter Mills…”. The document goes on to tell us that “… Walter Mills and Judith his wife and Walter Mills their son …” were paying a “… yearly rent of four pounds…”.
A Gloucester Diocese case of 21 February 1625 tells us a little more about Walter Mills. He was born at Stonehouse in approximately 1575, had come to Norton at the turn of the century, and was employed as a weaver, a trade that was to continue through the family for a number of generations. So if Walter Mills had been living at this property from approximately 1600 then Arthur Mauncell's period of occupancy would have been earlier in the 1500s.
Judith Mills died in 1665 and left a will in which she stated “… I give and bequeath to my son John Mills his heirs and assigns forever all that messuage or tenement with the appurtenances wherein I now dwell situate lying and being in Bishops Norton aforesaid together with all houses outhouses barns stables gardens and orchards thereunto belonging or in any wise appertaining…”.
The property is described in much more detail some twenty years later in an Indenture of sale dated 13th March 1685 between “…Thomas Mills of Norton weaver and William Mills yeoman, brother of the said Thomas Mills, of the one part and Edmund Holder of Norton, husbandman, of the other part … for the sum of forty pounds … all that messuage tenement or house commonly called or known by the name of B???house situate and being in Norton now in the possession holding or occupation of Thomas Mills … and also those two parcels of ground planted with fruit trees and now lying and being an orchard and adjoining next to the said house … and to the whole by estimation three quarters of an acre or thereabouts … and all lying next to the highway in Norton leading between Gloucester and Tewkesbury … which said premises are part or parcel of the Manor of Bishops Norton…”.
The property may have left the Mills family at this time but their name was to crop up again later as the name given to an adjoining orchard.
We have a gap in our knowledge then for the next 100 years until 17th June 1801 when a Joseph Cox sold the property to Robert Bompass for £260. Robert Bompass (the elder) was a dyer living at Bodlam Mill in the parish of Swindon and was married to Ruth. “This Indenture made the seventeenth day of June in the forty first year of the reign of our sovereign Lord George the third by the grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland King defender of the faith and so forth and I the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and one. Between Joseph Cox of Blacknest in the County of Berkshire, housekeeper, (nephew and heir at law of Walter Cox late of Longford in the County of Gloucester, joiner and cabinet maker who died intestate and also eldest son and heir at law of Thomas Cox… All that messuage or tenement wherein Judith Mills, mother of William Mills, formerly dwelt and since in the possession of the said William Mills…. And also two gardens and one orchard heretofore divided into two but now lying together in one to the said messuage or tenement belonging… being in Bishops Norton…”.
Robert Bompass appears to have had problems maintaining the mortgage on the property and contemporary documents are a little confusing. He firstly appears to have borrowed £200 from Elizabeth Hooper of Cheltenham. By 27th May 1802 Robert Bompass (the elder) was living at Cockleford Mill in the parish of Cobberley, at which time he appears to have sold the mortgage on the house to a John Humphris, yeoman of Charlton Kings. On 11th February 1803 the mortgage was sold on again to John Withorne Esq and Mr Richard White and later again to John Phelps of Minsterworth.
The Inclosure Award describes his plots as follows;
“No 83 - House and Garden. 1 rood and 4 perches, land not awarded.
No 81 - Orchard. 1 acre, 1 rood and 14 perches, land not awarded.
No 82 - Allotment in Bradley Field, land awarded".
"Unto and for Robert Bompass. All that piece or parcel of land in Bradley Field, No 82, containing 2 acres, 1 rood and 11 perches, bounded on the North West and part of the North East by Law hereinafter awarded to the said Edward Webb, on the remaining part of the North East by an allotment hereinafter awarded to Robert Barnard, on the South East by an old inclosure belonging to the said Robert Bompass and on the South West by an allotment hereinafter awarded to the said Walter Williams”.
Robert Bompass finally ended his association with the property on 6th April 1808 when he sold the property to Pearson Ballinger, a cordwainer of Gloucester.
Pearson left a Will bequeathing “all and singular my freehold messuage or tenement and premises situate at Bishops Norton” to trustees for the benefit of his wife Sarah. The trustees were instructed that they should; “immediately or at such other time or times after my decease as he or they shall in his or their own discretion think proper sell and dispose of by public auction or private contract all and singular my messuage or tenement and premises”. This wish appears to have been carried out. The Gloucester Journal newspaper of 11 July 1814 reported that due to another sale that had already been arranged near the premises, the auction of Pearson’s estate would be postponed from the 12th to the 19th July and the report provides an account of what the sale of the “Compact freehold Estate, growing crops, and household furniture” actually included;
“All the neat and clean household furniture and effects consisting of four-poster bedsteads and furniture, prime seasoned feather beds, blankets, sheets, quilts, counterpanes, and table linen; mahogany and other tables, chairs and wash-hand stands, pier and swing glasses, excellent eight-day clock and case, very good copper furnace; a complete assortment of kitchen requisites, amongst which is a highly polished range grate, also a variety of brewing articles, casks, trams, &c, &c. The Estate will be offered for sale precisely at four o’clock in the afternoon, after which the whole of the growing crops will be sold in suitable lots; likewise the live and dead stock on the farm. To commence with the sale of the household furniture at the hour of ten in the forenoon. All persons having claim or demand on the late Mr Ballinger, are requested to send in their accounts to Mr Ballinger, at the Malt Shovel, Barton Street [Tewkesbury] or to Mr Creed, Appraiser, &c, Westgate Street, Gloucester; with either of whom those indebted to the deceased are required forthwith to settle what they may be indebted to the Estate”.
On 29th August 1815 occupation of the property was granted to John Baylis, yeoman of Norton. The mortgage was still changing hands and on 1st September 1815 it was sold on to Thomas Rudge then on 5th November 1825 from Thomas Rudge to John Lewis. By 1830 the property was two houses. John Baylis died in February 1832 leaving a widow, Hannah.
In a 'Terrier and valuation of the messuages, lands, and other hereditaments liable to poor rate in the parish of Norton' from 1838, there is a reference to Plot No 83, that appears to indicate there were three properties on the site. The plot was owned by Henry Baylis, son of John and Hannah, and was partly a house and garden let to Henry Cox, partly a house and garden let to Josiah Bartlett but also a Methodist Chapel let to James Grimes. It is not known how long the property had been used as a chapel but it would likely have ceased when, on 10 July 1841, it was recorded in Diocesan records that “...a Chapel recently erected near The Green, in the parish of Norton is to be used as a place of religious worship by Protestant Dissenters...” and the purpose built Methodist Chapel opened its doors.
The 1841 Census reveals that there was a Henry Cox, a 65 year old agricultural labourer, living alone at Norton at this time although it is not clear where he lived. Josiah Bartlett's name crops up at numerous properties around the village around this time but James Grimes hasn’t been identified again.
By 1845 the property had definitely completed its development from a single house into three houses and on 19th July 1845 Henry Baylis, son of John Baylis, yeoman, formerly of Minsterworth but now of Norton, and his wife Anne, appear to have sold the property – “…three cottages and orchard called Mills Orchard and gardens thereto containing about two acres and also a piece of arable land in Bradley Field No 82 on Norton Award Plan containing two acres one rod and eleven perches and all commons, common of pasture, etc…” - to Elizabeth Francis Webb and into the Norton Court Estate. This appears to be confirmed by an auction sale advertisement from 1845; “To be sold by auction, by Mr R Weaver, on Tuesday, the first day of April next, at four o’clock in the afternoon, at The Fleece Inn, in the city of Gloucester, subject to the conditions of sale which will be then produced :- All that well-built messuage, tenement, dwelling house, barn, and mill house, with the garden orchard, and piece of arable land, in the occupation of Henry Baylis. And also, two other cottages or tenements, and gardens, adjoining the before-mentioned premises, in the occupation of Richard Leach and George James; the whole of which are freehold of inheritance, and contain together four acres and three-quarters, or thereabouts, and bounded on the northward side thereof by lands of Miss Webb, and the southward side thereof by lands of – Wilkins, Esq, and are situate in the said parish of Norton”.
A survey of the Norton Court Estate from 1864 records the same names; "Henry Baylis, his two sons and wife. George James, wife and one child. Richard Leach, wife and five children at home. The three last families reside under one roof at Baylis' near Norton Green".
The auction leaflet from 1845, referred to earlier, states that Richard Leach was living in one of the three cottages at that time and I believe it to have been No 12. Richard was married to Mary and they had at least six children. In 1841 Richard and family were already at No 12 with his brother Samuel living at Yew Tree Cottage.
By 1910 No 12 had passed to a relation of George, Walter James and his wife Laura, who were still in residence at the time of the Norton Court auction sale in 1952. In the auction the three cottages were recorded as a single lot, Lot No 17, and were described as being built of brick with a tiled roof and with a total rent to the Estate of £29 per annum. Each cottage had a coal shed, earth closet and garden and water was obtained from a well and pump common to the three cottages. Mead Croft was No 12 and recorded as follows; Living room with two cupboards, lean-to back kitchen with furnace, bedroom with fireplace and landing bedroom.
The following memories were shared by Sheila Maidment (nee Mullens) who was born next door at Yew Tree Cottage in 1923;
"At the bottom of the garden at ‘Yew Tree Cottage’ was a brook which ran into a pond in Mr Phelps’ field at Yew Tree Farm and, putting on ‘wellies’, we would wade in here with jam jars to collect newts and tadpoles. Over the brook was a wooden plank leading into ‘Mead Croft’ where Mr & Mrs Walter James lived – we called them ‘Bampy’ and ‘Granny Nanny’ because they looked after us when our parents were out. ‘Granny Nanny’ was Laura Brew before her marriage – the daughter of the village schoolmaster. Walter was very lame and as far back as I can remember always walked with a stick. He had a bicycle that he rode everywhere even cycling into Gloucester to do his shopping. It was what we used to call a ‘sit up and beg’ bike. I don’t recall his wife going into town at all. She was a very gracious lady, very smart with white hair and she would walk around the lane and fields doing her knitting. She was never without it and must have made hundreds of pairs of socks. She was very house-proud always keeping it spotless and was also an excellent cook. She was very strict with Walter (or the ‘Gaffer’ as locals called him) making sure he was always clean and tidy and she strongly disapproved of him smoking, allowing him five Woodbines a day. After she died he made up for this as he always had a ‘fag’ in his mouth. As well as the yard, orchard and meadow which he had with ‘Mead Croft’ he also had an allotment on the Tewkesbury Road near Norton Garage that at the time was owned by Wally Johnson. On this allotment he grew potatoes and at harvesting time my brothers and I would cycle down with him to help pick up and bag the crop. Then either Frank Bridge or Harry Cook would transport the sacks back to his barn. We also helped him haymaking in his meadow and fruit picking in the orchard. The best of his apples were boxed and sent to market in Gloucester to be sold. Some were then stored in the hayloft and the remainder were used to make his very potent cider. I have a photo of us all picking and boxing the apples. He also had a cider house where he always had a barrel of cider on tap. My brother Michael had a tree house built at the top of an elm tree at the back of ‘Mead Croft’. In those days there was a right of way at the back of the houses and past ‘Jasmine Cottage’ into a yard with barns, stables, pig sty etc and also an orchard and meadow that belonged to ‘Bampy’ and where we were allowed to play. ‘Bampy’ no longer kept animals, except a few hens, and my father cleaned out the pigsty, painted it, put a carpet on the floor and with a few pieces of furniture inside this was my playhouse. There was also an old workshop with a lathe, vices and pieces of chair backs and legs lying on the floor; a reminder of the days when Walter James’ family had been chairmakers".
Walter John James, the last recorded owner of the chairmaking workshop at Norton, held the keys to the chapel for many years and was a great supporter of its cause. On occasion, if the Methodist Minister did not turn up for a service he would take it himself. He was also responsible for the Sunday School at the Chapel. He held his own set of firm beliefs and it is remembered that one day, whilst a visiting Methodist Minister was delivering a sermon in the Chapel, he stood up and declared that the Minister was not speaking the word of God and that he was not prepared to listen to him. He then proceeded to leave the Chapel immediately. Walter James lived at Mead Croft for many years before moving to a Methodist Rest Home at Lansdowne Road, Cheltenham, where he was to die at the age of 96 in February 1959. By this time the Chapel had ceased to be used by the Methodists and had been taken over by the Parish Church but it was still thought very appropriate that his body should be taken into the old Chapel for the first part of his funeral service and that the Methodist Minister should have the principal part in conducting it.
In June 1952 the Norton Court Estate was sold at auction and the brick built, tiled roofed, cottage was described as follows; "Living room with two cupboards, lean-to back kitchen with furnace, bedroom with fireplace and landing bedroom. Coal shed, EC, and garden. ... water is obtained from a well and pump common to the three cottages" (Nos 12, 13 and 14).
When Walter James moved to Cheltenham the cottage was rented by Robert Derek Phelps and his new wife. Robert had been living at Norton Villa with his parents until he married Denise Amelia Clare Jackson at Norton in 1956 and they rented Mead Croft briefly until moving to their own place at Longford in 1958. Whilst here they were gifted an old wooden cabinet likely to have been made by the James family and this is still with Bob and Den’s son Tony.
Walter James sat at the door of Mead Croft and the cabinet.
In 1960-63 Joseph Branchfield, a shipyard plater, and Freda Beatrice Bain were in residence. In the mid-1960s Kathleen Emma (Kitty) Cook lived in the cottage and since January 1986 it has been owned by Nigel and Marion Overal.
