Nutwood House (The Lodge / Inchmore Cottage)
In 1807 there was no buildings on the site where Nutwood House now stands, near Inchmore Bridge on the A38 heading out of the village towards Tewkesbury. The land was then part of Plot No 266 and was owned by the Duke of Norfolk as part of Priors Norton Court Farm.
1807 plan showing Plot No 266, top right. Gloucester is to the left, Tewkesbury to the right, and the road leading off to the bottom of the plan is Marlpit Lane. The main road, that became the A38, used to turn quite sharply here at this time.
The site was still devoid of buildings in 1828 when it was known as Great Hill and was 6 acres, 32 perches in area. The first time a property can be identified on this site is in 1838 when it was part of Great Hill, was owned by Nathan Dyer of Norton Court Farm and was occupied by John Williford at a gross estimated rental or annual value of £4 and a rateable value or net annual value of £3. In 1841 John Williford was an agricultural labourer living here with his wife Mary and two young children; Solomon and Eliza.
John was born at Westmancote, Bredon, Worcs, in approximately 1790, son of Thomas and Betty Williford and married Mary, originally from Slimbridge. The couple first appear at Norton in March 1813 when son Thomas was baptised here and at this time likely lived at what is now Jasmine Cottage on the corner of the Church Lane and Marlpit Lane junction. The family were still at Priors Norton in 1851 although their address of ‘at the church’ suggests that they were then living at a different property. In 1861 John, Mary and children were still living in the vicinity of Norton Court Farm so may have been at The Lodge cottage throughout. Wife Mary died in October 1864 and John was living at Gloucester when he died in August 1873 but was returned to Norton to be buried with his wife.
In 1881 the property can be found on the Ordnance Survey maps and footpaths are also present giving access to Norton Court Farm and it’s land.
In 1881 Eliza Hambling, a 42 year old widow and farm labourer, was in residence with her son William John aged 6 years. Eliza had been born at The Leigh in 1842 and in 1859 had married Thomas Limrick at St Catherine’s, and the couple had several children. By 1871 we find Eliza, widowed, and living with her father William Milton on the Turnpike Road, near the mill, at Norton, and this may have been at The Lodge. In 1873 Eliza remarried John Hambling at St Mary’s, Norton. In 1871 John Hambling was a 54 year old farm labourer from Boddington and was lodging in William Milton’s household at Norton. John died in 1875 leaving Eliza a widow again.
Between 1897-1901 James Wadley, a cowman, was living at Lodge House with wife Eliza and sons Albert and Ernest.
In 1901 Henry Probert, a 56 year old farm labourer was living here with his wife Elizabeth and three daughters, all originally from Herefordshire, in a cottage then named ‘Dyers Lodge’. Henry was employed as a farm labourer at Norton Court Farm which was then occupied by Henry Dyer. Checking backwards I see that in 1891, William Henry Probert, a 15 year old originally from How Caple, Hereford, was employed as a general servant to Henry Dyer at Norton Court Farm and was most likely Henry Probert’s son.
On 13 July 1901 Bruton, Knowles & Co were instructed by the executors of the late W Dyer to sell Norton Court Farm by auction. Amongst the sale details it states that The Lodge contains 4 rooms (and is in the occupation of Henry Probert who works on the Estate and is let to him rent free). This statement has been crossed through on the sale advertisement suggesting that Henry had already left.
By 1902 the occupants had become James Hyett, his wife Amelia and sons Alfred and William George. In 1921 James and Amelia were still here, in a four room property, with son William and grandson James White. Father James was born in 1848 at Taynton and married Amelia Wilkins here in 1870. By 1921 James was employed as a cowman / farm labourer in the employ of Mrs Archer at Norton Court Farm as was his son William. In 1921 the Hyetts celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary at The Lodge. A report from the time described the size of their family; "they have five sons, six daughters, thirty grandchildren and one great grandchild". The Hyetts are still recorded here in 1926 but by 1927 the tenancy appears to have been taken on by son William George and his wife Gertrude. James died in 1930 and Amelia at Boscombe Noak, Chosen Hill, Hucclecote, in August 1942. Amelia has a memorial at St Mary's, Norton, but her husband James does not.
In 1931, the property was still occupied by William Hyett when Messrs Bruton, Knowles & Co, were acting to auction Norton Court Farm, Norton Mill, and other properties in this area. They wrote the following about The Lodge at Norton Court Farm; “The Lodge Cottage is situate by the entrance from the main road and is stone built with rough cast covering and with a partly tiled and partly slated roof. It contains sitting room, kitchen and five bedrooms. Outside is a timber built store shed with corrugated iron roof and EC. There is a good garden. Water is obtained from Norton Mill. The cottage is in the occupation of Mr W Hyett, his tenancy forming part of his wages”.
On 27th July 1932, Bruton Knowles wrote a letter, its recipient is now not known, about The Lodge’s access to water; “I saw Mr Nelson Archer [Norton Court Farm] this morning. He is quite willing that the occupier of the Lodge Cottage should have the right to obtain water from the pump at The Mill subject to such right not being exercised more than twice in one day and to the amount of water taken not interfering with the wants of the occupier of The Mill. I gather there is no likelihood of a shortage, the supply apparently being a very strong one but I think one ought to protect the owners of The Mill in this way”.
In 1933 Henry and Lucy Worthington were here, in 1934 the occupants were still William George and Gertrude Hyett, but by 1936 Henry and Lucy Worthington were here again and by 1938 Benjamin Edward and Primrose Irene Alcott were in residence.
A few years ago I was given a copy of some notes written by Mr Harry Cook, an old villager of many years who was once described as ‘Mr Norton’ about who had lived where in his memory. For The Lodge he wrote “Bagett followed by Mr & Mrs Gabb”.
I have not been able to identify the Bagetts but in 1939 the occupants were Charles Henry Gabb, a cowman, with his wife Emily Frances Alice (nee Wheeler) and their son Cyril Charles Henry. The Gabbs had left by 1955 when the residents had become Anthony J and Morfudd Eyres.
In 1958-60 Thomas James, Cecily S, June E L and Christopher Leach were at The Lodge.
The property became Inchmore Cottage for a time and was derelict in the 1960s.
On 27 June 1983, the Smith family, who owned Norton Court Farm, sold this plot of land to Clive Douglas May of 32 Alexander Road, Malvern, Worcs, for £9000. The sale included “all that cottage together with the garden ground thereto adjoining and belonging forming part of Norton Court Farm … and comprising OS No 122 and part of OS No 117”. There was condition attached to the sale that Clive May had to seek the seller’s approval before any building work could commence on the site. Clive Douglas May was still here when he married Susan Clair Tilling/Cooke at Cheltenham Register Office in 1986.
Inchmore Cottage was later demolished and replaced by Nutwood House and Ronald Arthur and June Ida Pearson were residents here from 1985. In early 1986 the Pearsons constructed a detached car garage here and were still resident in 2002.
