Norton Court Farm
In the early years the manor of what became Priors Norton included what has since become Norton Court Farm and the mill at Norton and these continued in the same ownership until 1828. The early history has been covered separately under Priors Norton Manor and Norton Mill. The following covers Norton Court Farm from the early 19th century when it could be identified as a separate entity.
The Gamekeepers Deputations from the Gloucester Quarter Sessions (1711-1950) include an entry dated 28th August 1805, the only entry in these deputations in respect of the Manor of Priors Norton, when a Thomas Cooke was recorded as gamekeeper to the Lord of the Manor, Charles Howard, Duke of Norfolk. There are a number of records from the following 30 years that suggest that Thomas Cooke was actually in residence at Norton Court Farm.
At the time that the inclosures came to Norton in 1807 Norton Court Farm was Plot No 264, was 1-3-7 in area, and was still owned by the Duke of Norfolk. It can be seen on the following plan.
Charles Howard, 11th Duke of Norfolk, died in 1815 and his widow Frances in 1820. Bernard Howard, a cousin of Charles Howard, became the 12th Duke of Norfolk, and inherited the estate at Priors Norton.
Bernard Howard
Joseph Drinkwater was born at Castlemorton, Worcs, in 1793 and in 1814 he was hired at Tewkesbury Mop to Mr Thomas Cooke, farmer and carter, of Norton's Court. Joseph was employed for 1 year with residency included at £10 which he served and was paid for. It is not known if Joseph’s employment was extended beyond the first year but the on 12 October 1815 Joseph married Charlotte Long at Norton and they settled in the village. Charlotte was a widow with the maiden name of Surman. The couple had seven children although the parish register of Norton only records the baptisms of the first two of these; Elizabeth (1817) and Sarah (1821). In 1834 Joseph, due to illness, had received parish relief from Norton on several occasions. The Drinkwaters must have left Norton in the late 1830s and by 1841 Joseph and Charlotte were living with their daughter Elizabeth and two young grandchildren at Gotherington Farm, Bishops Cleeve.
At Lady Day 1822 a very comprehensive agreement was written up in respect of Norton Court Farm for a new tenant to sign including conditions for the tenancy, crops to be grown, etc. It is not clear if this agreement was ever taken up by anyone as the copy I have seen is unsigned.
Through the early 1800s both a Thomas Cooke and a Thomas Charter held land in their own right at Priors Norton whilst also being tenants on land belonging to the Duke of Norfolk and paid land tax. It is more likely that for the majority of this time, however, Thomas Charter was actually living at Ivy House Farm.
On 25 June 1828 the entire estate at Priors Norton and Down Hatherley was put up for sale by Thomas Cooke at an auction to be held at the Kings Head Inn, Gloucester. It is not clear if Thomas Cooke was the auctioneer, the tenant at the farm, or both but at the time of the sale the farm was occupied by Thomas Charter. “The Estate, comprised in this Particular, is most desirably situated, and affords a good opportunity either for investment of capital or for occupation. The roads are good to the estate, well supplied with water, and a good stock of game upon it. The manor attached to the estate confers a right of sporting over a great extent of land. There are two packs of hounds kept within a short distance; and the house, which is pleasantly situated on an eminence, is within one field of the Turnpike Road from Tewkesbury to Gloucester, being six miles from the former, four from the latter, and six and a half from Cheltenham”.
Norton Court Farm was Plot No 1, the range of black buildings to the bottom of the following plan.
Plot No 1 was described as Norton Court Homestead and still 1-3-7 in area; “A very good brick-built farm-house, with very useful and well-arranged offices, with two barns, granary, stables, cart-shed, cow-houses, cider-mill and press, and various other useful buildings in and about a convenient farm-yard, with a good garden”. The farm itself included 384 acres and 30 perches and was described as follows;
The estate was purchased by Nathaniel Dyer and in 1829/30 the house and land was occupied by Nathan Clark at £232 11s per annum. Nathan was referred to as ‘Farmer Clarke’ in several records at this time.
Nathaniel Dyer of Bredon, Worcs, and Nailsworth, seems to have been somewhat of a colourful character. On 11th June 1833, in J Bennett’s Tewkesbury Register & Magazine, we find the following article under the heading ‘Death At Nailsworth’. “Nathaniel Dyer, of Bredon House, Proprietor of Bredon Manor and Norton Priors near Gloucester; native of Horsley where he settled early in life as a carpenter and obtained some property by marrying the widow of an innkeeper at Nailsworth; he later married two other widows and he became possessed of considerable wealth: having also obtained, by this fortunate alliance, many respectable connections, he established himself as an architect and surveyor and, eventually succeeded in business to such an extent that he amassed a fortune, estimated at upwards of £60,000. He was four times married and has left an amiable widow, a native of this borough, but no issue. He bequeathed the principal part of his property to the offspring of his four sisters; and, by his own desire, his remains are deposited in a mausoleum, which he himself erected, in his own orchard at Nailsworth”.
Nailsworth Town Council had paintings of the Dyer family that were no longer on display and stored in an attic where Nathaniel had gained a hole in his head due to a mishap in hanging the painting at some time. The paintings were moved to Bredon Manor and into the possession of descendants of the family.
Nathaniel Dyer (1752-1833) William Dyer (1827-1899), and his wife Juliana, with the first three
of their eleven children, Alice, Nathan and Amelia.
In the Gloucestershire Rural Community Council’s “Gloucestershire History”, No 14, 2000, Betty Mills wrote an article entitled ‘Nathaniel Dyer – A Newly Discovered Bit Of History’ from which the following is a brief extract. “Nathaniel Dyer was one of Nailsworth’s most colourful characters … apparently one of the new generation of wealthy landlords who made their money through trade and established themselves as a cut above the ordinary working man. He ran a wine business from the (old) George and is known to have done some architectural work on Wotton Church. He lived at Spring Hill House (later The Lawn and today Winslow House) … The story goes that his enemies threatened to dance on his grave so, with the bishop’s consent, he was buried in his own garden under a specially erected tomb. His gravestone may be seen today in an alley off Springhill Gardens. Needless to say, the story gave rise to various legends and later, his descendants who were having difficulty in letting the house, got a former tenant to sign a document declaring that they had not been worried by his ghost …”. As well as Nailsworth Betty Mills found another related connection with the Dyer family; “… suddenly a family of Dyers turned up from Bredon, near Tewkesbury. It turned out that Nathaniel had bought a manor house and farm there where he often stayed and on his death he left them to a nephew. I visited the family, saw the imposing manor, …and found the graveyard full of Dyers”.
On 2nd November 1833, in J Bennett’s Tewkesbury ‘Register & Magazine’, we read that Nathan Clarke, a gentleman of Norton Court, was to assume the name of Dyer after the Will of his uncle, Nathaniel Dyer of Bredon. The Tewkesbury Yearly Register and Magazine from the 1830s further informs us on this subject; “The King has been pleased to grant unto Nathan Clark of Norton Court in the County of Gloucester, gent, his authority that he and his issue may henceforth use the surname of Dyer only instead of that of Clark not only in compliance with a proviso and direction contained in the last will and testament of his maternal uncle Nathan Dyer late of Bredon in the County of Worcester Esq deceased but also in testimony of his grateful and affectionate respect for the memory of the testator”.
A memorial in the churchyard at St Mary’s, Norton, suggests that the Dyer family had previously been in residence, although the year is not clear on the headstone; “Sacred to the memory of Henry, son of Nathan and Elizabeth Dyer of Norton Court. He died Dec 27th 1830(?) aged 5 years”.
In late 1833, James Stephens, a yeoman of Boddington, made a complaint that James Lawrence, yeoman of Norton, had committed the crime of “trespassing in pursuit of game on land belonging to Nathaniel Clark Dyer, Esq at Norton”. James Lawrence appears to have been found guilty and was fined £1 with 12/- costs by R B Cooper, JP, at Cheltenham.
In 1838, the homestead at Norton Court Farm was owned by Nathan Dyer but was let to Mr George Long. A Thomas Long, possibly a son of George, would appear to have been in residence in 1841 and in 1851 and was a farmer of 199 acres employing 5 agricultural labourers. At Michaelmas 1846 Thomas Long was paying £128 for half a year’s rent of ‘farm, lands and buildings’. According to the parish electoral roll of 1851/52 a Nathan Dyer of Bredon, Worcs, held a freehold farm at Norton Court that was in the occupancy of Thomas Long. In 1867 Nathan Dyer Esq was the ‘lord of the manor of the eastern part of the parish’ with Thomas Long as farm tenant and this remains the same until 1883 when Nathan Dyer disappears but Thomas Long continues in occupancy.
Thomas must have been experiencing problems with the upkeep of the farm as early as the 1850s and on 23 March 1857 Nathan Dyer appears to have sent the following letter to Thomas Long; “I hereby give you notice to quit and to deliver up to me or my agent on the 29th day of September next the peaceable possession of the house, lands and buildings you now rent of me situate and lying at Norton in the county of Gloucester”. It is not known what happened as a result of this letter but Thomas remained as tenant well beyond the date he was asked to quit.
There appears to have been issues with the drainage on the farm lands through the 1850s and in July 1859 there was an extensive survey of the drainage in place for each field. There may have been an opportunity to claim a government loan from the Land Improvement Co, 2 Old Palace Yard, Westminster, and on 16 January 1860, John Thompson of Spa Cottage, Parkers Row, Gloucester, made a bid for the contract to carry out the work at Norton Court Farm. The following letter from John Thompson ‘respecting Mr Dyers grubbing on the Norton Court Estate’ describes the situation on the farm at that time; “I beg to state there are about 162 rods in length and varying from 1 to 2 rods in breadth of hedgerows and shaws grubbed up with drained out at the bottom of the ditches with 3 inch pipes and several other patches of grubbing to perfect the draining besides willow and ash stools grubbed out of the hedgerows where the main drains go through and near. The roots are of white and black thorn, willow, ash, maple and oak”.
The Gloucester Journal newspaper of 7 August 1875 included the following advertisement; “Norton. Four miles from Gloucester and five from Cheltenham. To be sold by auction, by Philip Thomas & Sons, on the spot, on Friday, the 13th of August, 1875, at two for three o’clock precisely, in Lots, - About three acres of capital oak and ash coppice wood, now lying in drifts in Priors Grove. Mr Long, of Norton Court, will cause the Lots to be shown; and for further particulars apply to the Auctioneers, Tewkesbury”.
Gloucester Journal, 7 August 1875
On 11 October 1875, a John Tench of Ludlow, Shropshire, appears to have been acting in a legal capacity for Nathan Dyer and wrote a letter to him about Norton Court Farm; “If, from the very neglected state of the farm, you have difficulty in letting, I would advise some consideration being made to an incoming tenant for one or two years instead of the rent”. A report with the letter stated; “The house, premises and buildings have a neglected appearance. It is evident from the present appearance of the arable land that a change of tenancy is necessary. The neglected state of the homestead, utter disrespect to keeping the outfall of the drains open and want of judgement in cropping the land displayed by the present occupier fully justify such a course”.
In 1875 Thomas Long was still paying £128 for half a year’s rent of ‘farm, lands and buildings’.
In 1876 Thomas Long was one of the many villagers who made a donation towards the restoration work at St Mary’s church and despite the suggestions that a new tenant would be good for the farm, on 25 March 1876 a further agreement was reached between Nathan Nathaniel Dyer and Thomas Long for “all that farm, farmhouse, buildings, land and premises” for £433 per annum paid quarterly on the 25th of March, June, September and December. The agreement did include many considerations for how the farm should be managed.
By the late 1870s Thomas Long had fallen behind with his payment of the rent. On 8 January 1880 Thomas’ brother John Long, of Vine Cottage, Hucclecote, wrote to Nathan Dyer; “I am very sorry that my brother has got so far behind in his rent but the times have been so bad and the expenses so much it took all that he could make. I hope, Sir, you will not be hard with a poor and unfortunate tenant. I think he had better give up the farm”. Thomas also thought it best but it would be “sorry for him to leave the place he had lived at so long”. In 1881 Thomas Long was still at Norton Court Farm of 350 acres, employing 4 men, 2 boys and 4 women, but the last record of him at Norton was in 1883.
Thomas Long was born at Alstone, near Cheltenham, in 1814, and brother John was also born at Alstone, in 1819. Their birth and parents have not been positively identified although they may have been sons of George and Priscilla Long. It may have been father George who was listed at Norton Court Farm in 1838 when the family first came here and Thomas was to stay at the farm between approximately 1841-1883. Whilst Thomas turned to farming brother John ran a grocery business at Northgate Street, Gloucester. Thomas and John had another elder brother, George, who was a baker at Cheltenham before he retired and went to live at Yew Tree Cottage, Hucclecote. In 1861 brother John, who had also retired, was living with George and his family. Having left Norton Court Farm in the 1880s, by 1891 Thomas was living at Yew Tree Cottage, Hucclecote, with what appears to be nieces and nephews. John was living at Vine Cottage, Hucclecote, when he died on 14 April 1886. Thomas was still living at Yew Tree Cottage, Hucclecote, when he died on 8 July 1892 and notifications in local newspapers at the time still referred to him as ‘late of Norton Court’. Both John and Thomas are remembered on the same memorial in the churchyard at St Philip and St James, Hucclecote.
In 1881 we find a William Dyer at Bickerton, Much Marcle, employed as a farmer of 370 acres, married to Juliana and with 8 children in residence. By 1885 the same William Dyer Esq, then of Bredon, had become the ‘lord of the manor of the eastern part of the parish’ of Norton. On 25 September 1883, Bruton, Knowles & Co were instructed by William Dyer, who was in the process of letting Norton Court Farm, to sell by auction; “His valuable farming stock, &c, comprising 40 well-bred fresh two-year-old bullocks, 14 yearling steers and heifers, 35 cross-bred ewe tegs, 10 fat ewes, 25 stock ewes, 110 cross-bred lambs, 10 capital young wagon horses, yearling filly, cart colt, mowing and reaping machine combined (by Williams), and other farming implements; table and cider fruit, &c. Luncheon at 11:30 o’clock, admission by ticket, 1s each, to be returned to purchasers”.
Gloucestershire Chronicle, 15 September 1883
On 4 August 1884, John Clement, son of Henry Charles Organ of Norton Court Farm was baptised at Norton and this must have been around the time that the Organ family arrived in the village. In September 1884 Henry Organ was definitely the farmer in residence at Norton Court Farm and was advertising for a ‘cowman, must be steady, industrious and a good milker’ and a ‘respectable young man to assist in milking and deliver the milk in Gloucester; good character required’. Henry Charles was born on 17 February 1840 at Great Witcombe, son of William Organ, a timber dealer and farmer, and Anne nee Oakey. By 1861 Henry had taken to farming and was living and working with his married brother Alfred on a 160 acre farm at Coopers Hill. Henry married Fanny Matilda Evans at Brockworth on 21 October 1862 and they were to have 10 children. Fanny was born at Haydon in 1843, daughter of William Evans, a farmer, and Emily nee Nind and in 1851 the family were farming 200 acres at Treddington. By 1871 Henry and Fanny were farming at Toddington and by 1881 at Hatherley Farm, Down Hatherley. In March 1885 Fanny Organ was selling ‘handsome colley puppies with good pedigree’ from Norton Court Farm where they were also keeping chickens and advertising; ‘silver pencilled Hamburgh eggs, prize strain, from splendid birds’.
In December 1885 a Charles Merston of Norton was summoned to the County Petty Sessions of Gloucester Police Courts for trespassing in search of game on land at Norton Court Farm.
On Boxing Day 1885, Henry Organ entertained Mr J S Gibbons of Boddington Manor and the followers of his harriers at Norton Court Farm. After an enjoyable mornings’ sport the company reformed at Norton Court Farm where Henry ‘entertained all comers to a sumptuous luncheon with his characteristic liberality. Upwards of 50 sat down, the outside division being regaled with bread, cheese and cider ad libitum’.
The Gloucester Journal newspaper of 16 April 1887 included the following report; “Mr W Baring Bingham’s staghounds were at Norton yesterday. The meet was at Mr Organ’s farm, where about forty on horseback and a number in carriages and on foot assembled. The stag having been uncarted, was given ten minutes law, and made off in the direction of Gloucester, then heading towards Churchdown, which was left a mile in the rear before the stag, which had given its pursuers an hour and forty minutes’ run, got into a pool of water. It was got out by means of a rope, and safely lodged in a barn to await the arrival of the cart. The hunt furnished some fair sport, a large portion of it being across country, though a good deal of road was covered”.
In 1887 Henry Organ found himself brought up in front of the police court, charged on the information of PC Pockett of Coombe Hill that he allowed nine calves to stray. Whilst Mr Organ freely admitted his guilt he apparently expressed a ‘strong opinion’ that it was not right for either the policeman to take notice of ‘such a paltry thing’ or for the magistrate to have signed the summons. The Chairman said that as this was his first offence the case would be dismissed but informed Mr Organ that ‘the remarks he had made were most unbecoming and uncalled for, as both the magistrate and the policeman had only done their duty”.
Also in 1887 Henry had issues with the carriage road that ran from the church at Norton to his farm. On 16 August 1887 he reported to a meeting of the Gloucester Highway Board in the Ram Hotel, Southgate Street, Gloucester; “Mr Organ, at the invitation of the Chairman, said he had pointed the road out to Mr Weaver, the surveyor, who had taken a sketch and the measurements. It was a road coming from the church, and it was most essential that some improvement should be effected there as soon as possible. … At a dangerous turn in the lane he had had two traps upset and each time the person in charge had been hurt”.
1887 seems to have been a busy year for Henry and on 6 October he found himself in front of the Cheltenham Police Court charged with causing a horse to be ill-used, in that the mare was observed pulling a wagon along the Tewkesbury Road whilst very lame, the SPCA reported that they had never seen a horse more lame. The Court Chairman stated that it was a very bad case and fined Organ £3 with 1s and 5d costs.
Henry Organ seems to have been constantly on the move throughout his life and they left Norton in the late 1880s and by 1891 they had moved again to Parton Manor, Churchdown, and by 1901 the family were living at Huntlands Farm, Whitbourne, Hereford, where as well as farming they were also hop growers. The family moved again to Rectory Farm, Turkdean, in the Cotswolds, where Henry died as a result of influenza on 15 February 1910 and was buried at Turkdean. The Gloucestershire Echo newspaper of 16 February 1910 included an obituary from which the following is an extract; “For a long time Mr Organ strove hard for the betterment of agriculture. He was an active member of the Gloucestershire Chamber of Agriculture, and served as president. As far back as a quarter of a century ago he boldly advocated a mild form of protection. And he was one of a deputation of farmers who went out to Canada and reported on the prospects for emigrant farmers. He was a staunch Conservative and loyal Churchman, and had served the office of churchwarden. A man of fine presence, with a cheery manner and marked straightforwardness, he will be much missed and regretted not only on the hills but in the vale, where perhaps he was more widely known”. By 1921 widowed Fanny had gone to live with married daughter Laura Annie and her family at Churchdown. Fanny died at The Reddings, near Cheltenham, on 23 December 1921, and was buried with her husband at Turkdean where they have a churchyard memorial.
In 1889 William Dyer of Bickerton Court, Much Marcle, still held the freehold property of Norton Court Farm. In 1891 William Dyer was farming here along with his son Henry who was married to Frances and had a daughter Frances. Henry Dyer was registered on the village electoral list in 1892 and 1899 owning land and tenement at Norton Court Farm. In 1894 William Dyer Esq of Bredon, was still ‘lord of the manor of the eastern part of the parish’ and appears to have taken up occupancy himself as a farmer at Norton Court Farm. This remains the same in 1897 and 1899. Under the tree to the right, just inside the church gate at St Mary’s, Norton, we find the following memorial; “In loving memory of William Dyer of Norton Court who died June 14th 1899 aged 72 years. Also of Julianna, wife of the above, who died Feby 1st 1896 aged 65 years”. This makes it clear why William Dyer disappears from the records at this time.
The 1901 Census shows that Norton Court Farm was still in the occupation of the Dyer family. William and Juliana’s daughter Kate Dyer is recorded as farmer and head of the household. Also in residence was her brother Arthur and sister Emily. All three gave their places of birth as Abbeydone, Herefordshire.
The Dyers were still in residence at Norton Court Farm in 1901 but by 1902 there were no Dyers in the village. Kelly’s Trade Directory for Gloucestershire for 1902 records “W Archer Esq is lord of the manor of Priors Norton, the eastern portion of the parish”, and he was in residence at Norton Court Farm.
This can be explained by an auction sale from around that time. Messrs Bruton, Knowles & Co were instructed, by the executors of William Dyer Esq, to sell by auction at The Bell Hotel, Gloucester, on Saturday the 11th day of July 1901 at 2 for 3 o’clock in three Lots. Lot 1 was; “A Valuable and Compact Freehold Estate known as The Norton Court Farm … Situate about 4½ miles from Gloucester and 5½ miles from Tewkesbury, comprising a farm residence, approached from the main road from Gloucester to Tewkesbury by a carriage drive with lodge entrance, set of agricultural buildings and 201a 2r 26p of superior pasture and arable land and thriving woodland including some sound old water meadows and productive pasture orcharding of which the following is a particular :-
No on Description Quantity
Map A R P
114 Meadow 17 1 16
117 Lodge, Garden and Withy Bed 0 1 13
118 Meadow 18 2 21
119 Meadow 5 3 38
120 Pond 0 0 22
121 Pasture orchard 0 3 31
122 Pond 0 0 37
123 Pasture 0 0 38
124 Pasture orchard 4 0 26
151 Norton Court farm house, buildings, yards and garden 1 3 6
152 Pasture 8 1 24
150 Pasture 9 1 33
153 Arable 11 1 1
154 Pasture and arable 17 2 12
155 Pasture 7 1 31
251 Pasture 8 2 28
252 Arable 3 1 19
253 Pasture 22 2 30
254 Pasture 7 2 15
255 Brake 1 0 24
256 Pasture 0 0 35
257 Pasture 8 3 35
327 Arable 11 2 8
328 Pasture and arable 20 0 7
329 Pasture 2 2 26
351 Brier Grove Wood 10 3 10
201 2 26
Plan of farm buildings in 1903
The Dyers had not left the district altogether, however, and the Tewkesbury Weekly Record - Almanack, Directory & Diary of 1919 records that an N Dyer of Bredon was a member of the Tewkesbury Rural District Council.
The Dyer family’s association with Norton had also not ended completely and when she died in 1942, William Dyer’s daughter Alice was also interred at St Mary’s, Norton, where the following memorial can still be found, adjacent to her father’s; “To the dear memory of Alice, daughter of William Dyer of Norton Court, widow of John Smyth of Tretire, Hereford, 1852-1942“.
William Archer was born at Painswick in 1846, son of William, a farmer, bailiff and miller, and Jane Archer. In 1851 at Brimpsfield, By 1871 son William was living at Upton St Leonards with his widowed mother and taken the trade of miller. Mother Jane was recorded as being a farmer, miller and baker and was employing 4 men and 2 boys. Son William married Mary Annie Organ at Brockworth in 1888 and they went to live and farm at Huntley moving to nearby Taynton Court by 1901 but the 1903 they had arrived at Norton and William Archer held the land and tenement at Norton Court Farm.
A notice in the Gloucester Citizen newspaper of 20 March 1911 tells us that William’s time here was brief; “We regret to announce the death of Mr William Archer, of Norton Court Farm, which occurred at his residence on Sunday night. He was medically attended on Wednesday and was well enough to be at Gloucester market on Saturday last. He was a well-known personality in farming circles in the county”. William’s funeral took place on 23 March when he was buried at St Mary’s, Norton, where he still has a memorial in the churchyard; “In loving memory of William Archer of Norton Court Farm who died March 19th 1911 aged 64 years”. “No flowers were sent, by request, with the exception of a cross from the widow and family, which was placed in the coffin. The bearers were employees on the estate. The coffin was of oak, with brass furniture, and bore the inscription: ‘William Archer: Died March 19, 1911: Aged 64 years’”.
The widowed Mary Anne continued farming at Norton Court Farm, then a 10 roomed property, along with sons William Nelson, John, Howard and James, and daughters Edith May and Eva Annie. The two eldest sons were working on the farm and Mary’s sister Emily Alice Organ was also in residence. By 1914, Mrs Mary Anne Archer was recorded as a farmer of Norton Court Farm and had become ‘lady of the manor of the eastern part of the parish’. In 1915 William and Mary’s son, William Nelson Archer, had voting rights stating that he was living in a furnished bedroom on the first floor of Norton Court Farm. William and Anne’s son Howard, who was known as Bob, was born at Taynton in 1894 and in 1911 he was employed as a grocer’s apprentice from Norton Court Farm. Bob joined the army on the outbreak of war in 1914 and served as Private, No 13918, in the 8th (Service) Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment. He died as a result of wounds received at the Somme on 13 July 1916. Bob is also remembered on Norton’s war memorial in the churchyard at St Mary’s and on his parents’ headstone in the churchyard; “Also in proud and loving memory of Howard (Bob) 8th Gloster Regt third son of the above who died on active service July 13th 1916 aged 22 years and is buried in Abbeville cemetery France.”
On 13 May 1926 Mary Anne Archer was buried at St Mary’s, Norton, in the same grave as her husband. Their son, William Nelson Archer, was a farmer of Norton Court Farm and had become ‘lord of the manor of the eastern part of the parish’.
Albert Reginald House of Sandhurst marrying Eva Aimee Archer of Norton Court Farm at St Mary’s, Norton, on 22 April 1931
Messrs Bruton, Knowles & Co, were instructed by the Administrator of the late Mrs Archer to sell the farm at auction on 18 July 1931 at the Bell Hotel, Gloucester. Norton Court Farm was Lot 1 and Lot 2 was Norton Mill;
The auction leaflet included the following; “Bruton, Knowles & Co are instructed by the Administrators of the late Mrs M A Archer to sell by auction at the Bell Hotel, Gloucester, on Saturday July 18th, 1931, at 3 o’clock punctually in two Lots.” Lot 1 was Norton Court Farm and Lot 2 was Norton Mill. “A valuable freehold estate situate in the parish of Norton adjoining the main road from Gloucester to Tewkesbury and within four miles of Gloucester, six miles of Tewkesbury, and six of Cheltenham. The property comprises an excellent residence, a cottage, [then The Lodge, now Nutwood House] a set of agricultural buildings and enclosures of pasture, pasture orcharding, meadow and arable land, and woodland, the whole containing an area of about 201a 2r 19p”. The leaflet then contains a full schedule of the land described by plot no, size, and usage.
“The residence stands on an elevated position, facing south east, and it is approached from the main Gloucester to Tewkesbury road by a drive through No 150. It is constructed of brick with tiled roof and contains, on the ground floor, entrance porch, hall with tiled floor, drawing room with bay window, 15ft 7ins x 14ft 6ins (exclusion of bay), dining room with bay window, 17ft 4ins x 14ft 5ins (exclusion of bay). Approached from a passage leading from the front hall are office, small cupboard under staircase, large living room (originally the kitchen), 19ft 4ins x 16ft 2ins, with red square floor, a pantry with shelves, dairy with slate shelves and back kitchen with bread oven range and two furnaces. Coal and wood house. On the first floor approached by two staircases, are two front bed rooms, both fitted with cupboards, one being 17ft 4ins x 14ft 5ins and the other 15ft 7ins x 14ft 4ins, a small landing, four back bed rooms one being 19ft 4ins x 16ft 2ins, and a room in which is WC and with ample accommodation for a bath to be fixed. There is capital cellarage with rolling ways. Water is supplied by a force pump in the back kitchen. At the back are yard, partly covered in with a corrugated iron roof, oil house, brick built coal house with corrugated iron roof, and door to garden, and on the east side of the house is an outside WC. There is a good lawn and there is also a large garden planted with fruit trees. The agricultural buildings which are mostly brick built and tiled, comprise range of three piggeries, a barn with stone driving way, one bay having a tallet floor, and the other fitted with stone cider mill, lean-to, timber and tiled trap-house or garage (at present used as a poultry house). In the rear of the barn and around the first yard is a range of cattle sheds with tie-ups for 11, with brick pitched floor and stone drinking trough; a second range with tie-ups for 9, at present divided into four loose boxes, with EC at end. Around a second yard are three loose boxes, a four-bay open shed, and an implement shed with entrance from No 155, a calves house with tallet floor, barn adjoining with corrugated iron roof (in poor repair), and a brick and timber building with tiled roof forming calves house and three loose boxes. To the north of the main buildings are brick and tiled stables for six, and two loose boxes with loft over, approached by stone tallet steps. A large pond adjoins the farm buildings.
The land, which has an area of about 201a 2r 19p, comprises with the exception of about 11 acres of woodlands, some first class pasture and meadow pasture orcharding, and arable. The property occupies an excellent situation being within easy reach of the well-known markets of Gloucester and Tewkesbury and is about six miles from Cheltenham.
It has been in the occupation of the vendors for 30 years and vacant possession will be given at Michaelmas next subject to the shooting tenancy and to the cottage occupation.
In addition to his purchase money the purchaser will be required to pay the usual tenant valuation. He will be required to take by valuation all unconsumed hay, straw, roots, and other crops at consuming price, and to pay for the cultivation, but he will not be required to make any payment in respect of the unexhausted values of feeding stuff, and no claim shall be made by the purchaser for dilapidations, if any.
The purchaser shall be required to pay for the growing timber in the woodlands, chiefly oak, at the sum of £250 being the amount of Messrs Bruton, Knowles & Co valuation. The timber in the hedgerows will be included in the purchase price. The vendor reserves the right to hold a sale by auction on the premises of the live and dead farming stock and effects prior to the date of completion. The farm is subject to tithe which has been apportioned by the auctioneers for the purpose of this sale at the present value of £14 16s 11d per annum and land tax of £12 6s 6d.
The shooting is let to Mr R B Prettejohn, Staverton Court, his tenancy terminating February 1st, 1932”.
Briefly, Richard Buckley Prettejohn was born on 6 May 1877 at Littleham, Exmouth, Devon, son of Lt Gen Richard Buckley Prettejohn and Bertha Amy nee Smith. Richard married Gwendoline Alice Grace ?, who was born in India. In 1911 they were living at Frampton Cotterell but the births of their children at Ceylon, Builth Wells, and Pembroke in the previous 10 years shows how often they moved. Richard later divorced Gwnedoline and on 19 December 1922 he remarried Margaret Caroline Desages at Grafton Flyford, Worcs. At this time Richard was employed as a tea planter living at Grafton Flyford and in Ceylon. By 1939 Richard was ‘legally separated’ from his second wife and was a dairy and general farmer living at Staverton Court with his son Hugh who was ‘helping on farm owing to shortage of labour’. In April 1943 the Ministry of Food announced that Richard Prettejohn was closing his business at Staverton Court and people registered with him for ‘butter, cooking fats, margarine an eggs’ would have to make alternative arrangements. In November 1943 Richard was selling Staverton Court Farm at auction. Richard left Staverton to live at Park House, Tenby, Pembroke, but died on 14 December 1949 at the Imperial Nursing Home, Montpellier, Cheltenham. The Cheltenham Chronicle newspaper of 20 November 1943 printed the following obituary; “The death has occurred of Mr Richard Buckley Prettejohn, formerly of Staverton Court, near Cheltenham, who was the last surviving son of Lieut-Gen R B Prettejohn who fought in the Indian Mutiny (1857). Mr Prettejohn, early in his career, was a tea planter in Ceylon. He served in the Scots Guards in the 1914-18 war. When he came to the Cheltenham area, he lived at Staverton Court and kept a pedigree herd of Jersey cattle. Later he sold the court and lived at the farm. Several years ago he left the district and went to Park House, Tenby. His brother, Hugh, well-known as a Conservative, died about a year ago. Mr Prettejohn, who died at a Cheltenham nursing home, has one son, Hugh”.
As well as the auction, also on 18th July 1931, Messrs Bruton, Knowles & Co wrote to Mr W J Cooke of Elmbridge Court advising him that a prospective buyer had pulled out and that they could arrange a visit to the farm for him to view the premises.
In September 1931 Emily Alice Organ was in residence at Norton Court Farm when she had a watch stolen from the back kitchen at the house. Emily possibly died at Norton Mill in 1949.
The earlier interest in the farm seems to have come to nothing as on 27th July 1932 Bruton, Knowles & Co wrote to Mr H Peake of Rolls Court, Cambridge, near Frampton, advising him that his offer of £3800 for Norton Court Farm had been accepted and the sale could proceed.
The Gloucester Citizen newspaper of 17 September 1932 included the following advertisement; Norton Court Farm, Norton (within 4 miles of Gloucester on the Tewkesbury-Gloucester Road). Bruton, Knowles & Co are instructed by the Administrator of the late Mrs Archer (for whom they have sold the farm), to sell by auction on Thursday, 22nd September, 1932, at twelve o’clock punctually, - 56 cattle, comprising a herd of 21 well-bred shorthorn dairy cow in calf or in milk, 18 two-year-old and eighteen months old heifers and steers, 16 weaned calves and a pedigree shorthorn bull; 3 horses; 73 sheep; 8 pigs; combined portable cider mill and press; harness; agricultural implements; 200 poultry; 37 turkeys; cider casks; dairy utensils, etc; and a portion of the household furniture, including an old oak gate-leg table, mahogany sideboard, carpets, drawing room chairs, etc. A caterer (Mrs Stanley Smith, Spread Eagle Hotel, Gloucester) will be in attendance to supply light refreshments. Catalogues may be had of the auctioneers, Albion Chambers, Gloucester”.
The Citizen, 17 September 1932
Norton Court Farm was sold to Harry Peake but the Archer family continued to farm the land whilst living at Norton Mill. Harry Peake is remembered as being at Norton Court Farm although it seems unlikely that he ever actually lived here. Harry was born in 1865 at Victoria Road, Diss, Norfolk, son of Edward, a bank cashier, and Elizabeth Peake. By 1881 the family had come to 3 West End Terrace, Pool Meadow, Gloucester, when father Edward was a timber merchant and Harry was employed by him as a clerk. By 1891 the family had moved to 9 College Green and Harry had also become a timber merchant, establishing the business of Peake & Co at Slimbridge. By 1901 the family were living at a farm near Slimbridge, quite likely Rolls Court, where Harry was now a farmer as well as timber merchant. Harry Peake never married and continued to live at Rolls Court, Cambridge, until 8 October 1934 when, having been ill for just a short time he was admitted to Pembroke Nursing Home, Clifton, Bristol, for an appendicitis operation from which he never rallied and he died on 11 October. Harry was buried at Slimbridge along with brothers Ernest and Lewis with whom he had farmed.
On 22 January 1935, Messrs Penley & Milward, solicitors of Dursley, were asked to ascertain a valuation of Norton Court Farm whilst handling the Estate of Harry Peake. Bruton, Knowles & Co valued the property at £3750, the District Valuer at £4500, so Messrs Penley & Milward suggested a valuation of £4000. Their report also includes a very detailed account of all timber growing on the estate, tree by tree. The tenant of 184a 1r 3p at this time was F E Bigg at a rent of £220pa with an additional 5% for repairs and improvements done by the landlord.2
In 1935 William Archer was confusingly still recorded as ‘lord of the manor’ but Frank Ernest Bigg was the farmer at Norton Court Farm. He also had one of the first telephones in the village with the brief number of Twigworth 31. Between approximately 1933 and 1936 Frank and Dorothy Bigg were briefly residing at Norton Court Farm although several Archers and Emily Alice Organ were also recorded as still being here at the same time.
Frank Ernest was born at Willington on Tyne, Northumberland, on 6 November 1877, son of Alfred Thomas Bigg. Not long after Frank’s birth the family travelled south and in 1881 they were living at 7 Browns Road, Walthamstow, London, with father Alfred employed as a wharfingers clerk. They were at 2 Clarendon Road, Walthamstow, 10 years later. Frank was living at The Yewlands, Calcott, Somerset, employed as a dairyman when he married Dorothy Edith Moore on 2 June 1908 at Tewkesbury Abbey. The couple honeymooned in North Devon before settling at The Yewlands. Dorothy Edith was born at Tewkesbury on 21 August 1885, daughter of Thomas Weaver Moore, auctioneer and estate agent, and Ellen nee Watson. Father Thomas was also a Justice of the Peace, had been a member of the town council and at one time mayor of Tewkesbury. In 1891 the family were living at Southend House, Church Street, Tewkesbury, and were still here at the time of her marriage. In 1911 Frank and Dorothy were living at 3 Market Parade, Coulsdon, Croydon, Surrey, where Frank was still employed as a dairyman. By 1912 they had returned to Gloucester where Frank had taken employment as the secretary and manager of the newly opened Gloucester Milk Depot, Quay Street, Gloucester. By 1918, if not earlier, they were living at Twigworth, in 1920 at Claremont, Tuffley Avenue, Gloucester, and by 1921 at Street House, Cambridge, near Slimbridge, where Frank was employed as a milk buyer for Cadburys, presumably at their nearby Fretherne Bridge factory. In 1938 Frank and Dorothy were living at Whitelocks Farm, Kingston, Kent. Frank died at The Knapp, Dursley, on 16 November 1964 and Dorothy at Gainsford House, Gloucester Road, Cheltenham, on 10 January 1978.
The Gloucester Citizen newspaper of 26 September 1936 included the following notice; “Norton Court Farm. Mid-way between Tewkesbury and Gloucester. Moore & Sons are instructed by Mr F E Bigg, who is leaving, to sell by auction, on Thursday, October 1st, 1936, at 12 o’clock, - 47 dairy cattle, 3 working horses, 2 sows and pigs, 22 store pigs, rick of very prime meadow hay made in June, agricultural implements, poultry houses, dairy utensils, etc. Catalogues of the auctioneers, Tewkesbury and Upton-on-Severn”.
The Citizen, 26 September 1936
In 1934 the Archers and the Biggs were recorded here with Alice Worthington, whose parents were at The Lodge on the Tewkesbury Road, and a Grace Lea was also recorded in residence.
In 1937 Francis Godwin ‘Frank’ Smith, a dairy farmer, and wife Susannah were here with their children. Frank had been born at Taynton in 1908, son of Godwin Henry Smith and Annie nee Holder. By 1909 the family had come to Bishops Norton and were farming at Yew Tree Farm and were still there in 1921 but in September of that year they appear to have left Norton moving to farm at Lassington, near Highnam. Frank married Susannah Palmer at Tibberton in 1936 and they took on Norton Court Farm after marriage. Although Frank Smith was in residence at Norton Court Farm in 1939, William Archer was still recorded as ‘lord of the manor’.
Whilst Harry Peake died in 1934 the family appear to have retained ownership of the farm. At a Ministry of Agriculture survey in 1943 it was recorded that Norton Court Farm was 239 acres, Class A, mixed formerly grazing farm. It was owned by Miss Peake and tenanted by Francis Godwin Smith. Miss Peake has not been positively identified.
An old Norton villager, William Cook, produced a record of who lived in certain properties around the village in the time of his memory and tells us the following for Norton Court Farm. “Farmed by William Archer and his family. Sons Nelson, Robert, Jack, daughter Mary (married Bill Davies and had one daughter), Eva and Jim. After Mr Archers death, Mrs Archer, her sister Miss Organ, and Jack and Jim lived at Norton Mill. Farm was sold to Mr & Mrs Peak who were only there for a short time. They were followed by Frank Smith and his family; Jean, Donald, Roy and Michael”.
Several generations of the Smith family have been at Norton Court Farm ever since.
Frank Smith died on 19 June 1999 and his coffin was transported from Norton Court Farm to St Mary’s, Norton, by a pair of Belgian Black horses that he loved and he was buried along with his wife; “In loving memory of a dear wife and mother Susanah Smith died 10th September 1985 aged 79 years. RIP. And her dear husband Francis Godwin Smith died 19th June 1999 aged 90 years.”
The Gloucester Journal newspaper of 25 October 1993 included; “A couple returned to their Gloucestershire farm from a Lakeland holiday at the weekend to find one of their barns ablaze and their cowman bravely rescuing calves. Michael and Jean Smith, whose family had farmed at Norton Court Farm, Priors Norton, for more than 50 years, were stunned to see their Dutch barn fully alight and fire crews battling to bring the inferno under control. “We were driving along and saw all the commotion”, said farmers wife Jean Smith. Only the quick wits of employee Ian Pell saved the calves from perishing. “There are calf pens either side of the barn and it is thanks to Ian that none of the livestock died”, said Ms Smith, “It wasn’t the best welcome back, but these things happen. The firemen did a fantastic job”. The barn held approximately 300 tonnes of hay and sileage and fire engines were called from Gloucester and Cheltenham. Firefighters remained at the scene yesterday, damping down the remains. Arson has been ruled out but the cause has not yet been established”.
The Smith family continue to farm here in 2025.
