Yew Tree Farm
Yew Tree Farm can be found at the end of the lane leading in the Sandhurst direction from the village Green.
In the 1700s, Yew Tree Farm belonged to the Wallsworth Hall Estate of the Hayward family. In the 1770s a Capt Wilkins, MP for Radnorshire, married Miss Hayward who was heir to the Wallsworth Estate. Mr Wilkins’ family were originally known by the name of de Winton but had changed to Wilkins for some reason although they were later to revert. In 1806 the farm was occupied by a Walter Wilkins of this family and was known as Wilkins Farm.
In 1838 it was still known as Wilkins Farm, consisted of 159 acres and was being run by a William Syms as occupier and not owner. William Syms was born at Minsterworth in 1788, had married Susannah Brown at Gloucester in 1830, at which time he was living at Hempstead, and they had one child, Mary, born at Norton in 1833.
On 4 March 1847, Mr I F Hughes held an auction at his sale rooms in College Court, Gloucester, of 42 elm trees, 6 x 7 tree lots, "felled and lying on the farm in the occupation of Mr William Syms, in the parish of Norton".
By 1851 the farm had become known as Syms Farm and had grown to 170 acres with William Syms still as tenant. He was employing 4 labourers.
On 1 July 1854, the Gloucester Journal newspaper reported; “On Wednesday, during the raging of a thunderstorm, the lightning struck a large pear tree on a farm in the occupation of Mr Wm Syms, at Norton, in this county. The tree, which was situated about 40 yards from the farm-house, was completely smashed to splinters by the electric fluid, which afterwards entered the earth close by, leaving a round black mark. Such accidents as this show the extreme danger of taking shelter under a tree during a storm, a tree being a powerful conductor of lightning”.
On 21 August 1856 the name Yew Tree Farm appears for the first time when Henry Bruton was "favoured with instructions from Capt de Winton to submit to public competition, in 32 Lots, at the Kings Head Hotel, Gloucester, on Thursday, the 21st of August, 1856, at one for two o’clock"; Capt de Winton owned the Wallsworth Estate, largely in Sandhurst. The property was described as; "in the parish of Norton. A verv valuable estate and dairy farm, (nearly the whole of which is tithe-free,) called Yew Tree Farm, comprising about 170 acres of rich meadow, pasture land, orcharding, and productive arable land, excellent farm house and farm buildings, chiefly bounded by the Norton Estate, and now in the occupation of Mr Syms.". By 1861 it was said to be 175 acres and was employing 5 labourers and 2 boys.
Maybe the farm wasn't sold in 1856 but on 17 April 1863 the farm was sold by the Wallsworth Hall Estate (Thomas de Winton) to Thomas Cuff Adams of Bath for £8600. William and wife Susan Syms were still tenants and paying £350 per annum rent. Thomas Adams did not own the farm for very long as on 8 December 1864 he sold it into the Norton Court Estate when Edward Webb bought it for £9750.
1844-1888 OS 25” 1st Edition
In April 1868, a declaration by Mr Bruton with respect to Land Tax of the Norton Court Estate, stated that William Syms was at Yew Tree Farm on a yearly tenancy paying £350-0s-0d. William Syms was last recorded at the farm in 1871. In June 1871 ; "Bruton, Knowles and Bruton, have received instructions from William Syms Esq, to sell by auction in the cattle market, Gloucester, on Wednesday, 5th July, 1871, (being July Fair Day), at eleven o'clock; - 3 pure-bred yearling short-horn bulls, pedigrees of which will appear in future advertisements". In 1874 the electoral list for the village does not record anyone at the farm and by 1875 the tenancy had passed to Thomas Bainbridge who also held Bradley Farm. William Syms was recorded as living at Sandhurst Road, near Wallsworth Hall. Well into his eighties by now he had probably become too old to run the farm. Indeed, on 21 March 1873, Bruton, Knowles and Bruton were instructed by Mr Syms "who is giving up the farm and retiring from business", to sell by auction; "his highly superior live and dead farming stock comprising young well-bred shorthorn dairy cows, in or with calves, fresh barren heifer, 6 shorthorn stirk heifers, 6 ditto yearlings, 7 weaning calves, 43 young cross-bred ewes, in or with lambs, 20 Chilver tegs, 4 famous hilts, in farrow, 8 powerful young wagon horses, an assortment of agricultural implements, dairy utensils, cider, part of the household furniture &c". William died in 1877, aged 89 years, and Susannah at Wallsworth, Sandhurst, in January 1879, aged 82 years.
Thomas Bainbridge remained at Yew Tree Farm until his death in November 1880. In 1881, Thomas’ widow Louisa was still living at Yew Tree Farm with six of her children, recorded as a farmer and with her two eldest sons also employed on the farm. They still also employed a farm servant.
Frederick Chamberlayne was at Yew Tree Farm, Norton, from 1884. Frederick John Chamberlayne was the son of John Carter Chamberlayne and Maria nee James. Frederick was born in 1864 at Yew Tree Farm, Moreton Valance, where his parents farmed and where Frederick later learnt his trade. Frederick married Louisa Emma Cook, of Court Farm, Norton, at St Mary’s, the year after his arrival here. By 1891 Frederick was farming at Yew Tree Farm but also had a butcher’s shop at 135 Southgate Street, Gloucester.
This photograph was lent by Michael Phelps, at the time resident at Yew Tree Farm, and shows the yard at Yew Tree Farm in the 1890s. At this time the farm was run by Frederick John Chamberlayne, who may be the man pictured.
In 1897 Frederick was fined 10s with £1 expenses for transporting ten pigs from Taynton to Norton in breach of Swine Fever restrictions, Norton being an infected area at the time. In the late 1890s Frederick worked at the butcher’s shop in Gloucester, employing bailiffs to oversee the farm at Norton. In 1899 Edward Greening was farm bailiff at Yew Tree but there must have been bad relations between them as in May of that year Frederick applied for, and was granted, an ejectment order against Edward to make him vacate Yew Tree Farm. By 1901 Yew Tree Farm was occupied by another farm bailiff, Charles Smith. In October 1901 Frederick took the Great Western Railway to Gloucester County Court to claim damages after they mishandled delivery of seven bullocks from Ledbury.
Frederick rented Yew Tree Farm from the Walker family and the Norton Court Estate but invested his own money on capital improvements there. These improvements resulted in a rent increase which displeased him and caused his departure and in 1903 Frederick Chamberlayne moved to Abloads Court at Sandhurst, where he remained throughout his life. In 1911 Frederick was employing a manager, William Garrett and his wife Ada, who were in residence at 135 Southgate Street overseeing the butchers shop. [William went on to have a successful business of his own in Westgate Street and in the 1950s was Mayor of Gloucester]. Things must have been going well as in November 1911 they announced that they were expanding into 134 Southgate Street as well. It is not known when the shop ceased to trade.
Frederick’s obituary was published in the Gloucester Journal newspaper of 7 October 1933; “A wide circle of farming friends in the county will learn with deep regret of the death, which took place suddenly on Wednesday, of Mr Frederick John Chamberlayne, of Abloads Court, Sandhurst. Mr Chamberlayne, who was 69 years of age, was a well-known local farmer and landowner. Last night he was motoring across some of his property at Norton when he was suddenly seized of a heart attack. One of his employees, who was driving the car, immediately summoned medical aid, and Dr Barnes and Dr Finlay were soon on the scene. They found however that Mr Chamberlayne had passed away. A native of Gloucestershire, Mr Chamberlayne commenced farming at Yew Tree Farm, Norton, in 1884 and remained there until 1903. During the last eight years of that period he simultaneously carried on a butcher’s business in Southgate Street, Gloucester. In 1903 he went to Abloads Court Farm and had been there ever since. A member of the Gloucestershire branch of the National Farmers’ Union and of the Gloucestershire Root, Fruit and Grain Society, Mr Chamberlayne was one of the leading farmers, and one of the best judges of stock in the county. His services were frequently called upon as a judge of fat stock shows, both in the county and further afield. He was also a very successful exhibitor at the local shows and carried off many prizes in the Root, Fruit and Grain Society’s field classes and in addition he won the award for the best managed farm. He was widely known for his extensive knowledge on all agricultural matters, his advice being much sought and highly esteemed. He did not take an active part in public life, but both as an agriculturalist and for his personal qualities he was popular over a very wide area, and his large circle of friends, by whom he was greatly respected, will deeply regret his death. He leaves a widow, five sons, and a daughter to whom much sympathy will be extended in their sudden bereavement”. Both Frederick and Louisa have a memorial at St Lawrence, Sandhurst.
In October 1903, Thomas Cooper was at Yew Tree Farm.
By 1911 Yew Tree Farm was in the occupation of Godwin Henry Smith. Godwin Smith had married Annie Holder at Bishops Cleeve in 1906 at which time he had been farming at Brockhampton. Judging by the places of birth of their children they had arrived at Norton in approximately 1909.
Fred Oakley grew up at Broadclose Road but spent a lot of time with his grandparents, William and Clara Oakley, at Norton Green. In the 1970s he made some recordings of his memories which include; “The last year before I went into town [12 years old so 1917 ?] I spent the August holiday at Norton Green ‘cause I went down to Godwin Smiths and I rode the horse, the front horse on the reaper, they had two horse, then one in front you see. We used to go round the stucket after we’d cut it and stick the sheaves up, and then we used to go round and pick it up. I used to bring the load back from the field into the yard and they used to stack it, make the hay ricks, nearly all on staddle stones you see, tapered base with a stone top like a mushroom. I used to bring the loads back, lead the horse and bring the load into the yard and they’d got another empty one waiting for me, you see, and I’d take that back. But nearly every return journey it was a question of going into the cider house and filling up the 10 gallon casks, or whatever you had to put it in, and take that back into the field. The cider was the most important thing then when they were harvesting actually, wouldn’t get anything done without it”.
The Smiths remained here until an entry in the Norton School Log Books for 26th September 1921 records their departure; “Frank and Sidney Smith of Yew Tree Farm, Norton, have left this school. Their father is now farming at Lassington, near Highnam”.
By 1923 the farm was in the occupation of George Bridge & Sons who appears to have stayed until 1925.
At some time around 1920, Jack Redvers Stubbs had been employed at Yew Tree Farm and it is remembered that he lost an arm, getting it trapped in some farm machinery, there. This is borne out by a newspaper report from Gloucester County Court of 29 July 1922; “Mr A F Clements (instructed by Messrs Treasures) appeared for H E Archer, the Green Farm, Norton, and applied for review and redemption in respect of compensation at the rate of 16s per week being paid as compensation under the Workmen’s Compensation Act to J R Stubbs, a young farm labourer of Norton, who had accidentally lost an arm. Mr Harold Hardy (instructed by Mr C France Drinkwater) conducted respondent’s case. Counsel conferred on a suggestion by the Judge and it was agreed that compensation should be fixed at 15s per week, applicant to pay the costs of the application”.
The Gloucester Journal newspaper of 14 June 1924 advertised; “Norton, For sale by tender, the Yew Tree Farm, a capital freehold dairy farm, with excellent farmhouse, ample and conveniently arranged farm buildings and about 134a 3r 29p of pasture, pasture orcharding, and arable land. The farm occupies an important position, the land is of excellent quality, and the orcharding forms an attractive feature. The farm is at present let to Messrs G and F Bridge at an apportioned rent of £334 a year, but vacant possession can be given on the 29th of September next. Particulars and forms of tender may be had of Messrs Bruton, Knowles and Co, Albion Chambers, Gloucester, at whose offices tenders must be deposited not later than 10am on Friday, the 4th July, 1924. The vendor does not bind himself to accept the highest or any tender”.
On 13 January 1925 the farm underwent a Norton Court Estate inspection upon change of tenancy from Messrs George and F Bridge to Mr Gilbert H Stock. Gilbert Henry was born at Hailes, Winchombe, in 1888, son of Henry and Mary Stock, farmers. His father died when he was young, his mother remarried Edwin Hawkins, and he grew up on their farm at Hailes which he was farming by 1911. Gilbert married Evelyn May Jackson at Bibury in 1912 and they had three children; Aileen, Adrian and Jessie.
26 November 1927; “Norton Farmer and Employee Fined. At Cheltenham Police Court, on Thursday … Jack Redvers Stubbs (22), farm hand, of Norton, was summoned for having driven a motor tractor without license, and Gilbert H Stock, of Yew Tree Farm, Norton, was summoned for having employed Stubbs to drive without a license. – The offence took place on the Gloucester Road on October 18th. Mr H F Midwinter, who appeared for the defendants, explained that the implement was a farm tractor, for which, when used on the land, no license was required. What happened on the occasion in question was that Mr Stock had lent the tractor to a farmer at Andoversford and sent Stubbs to fetch it back, forgetful of the fact that the lad could not drive it on the highway without a driving license. There was no intention to break the law; it was rather a case of forgetfulness. The employer was fined 10s and the driver 5s”.
“Gloucester Market, Monday 26th August, 1929. Bruton Knowles & Co are instructed by Mr G H Stock to sell by auction, at 10.30 o'clock punctually from the pig pens; - Two orchards of fruit growing at Yew Tree Farm, Norton. The two orchards contain about 16 acres, and include Worcester, Pearmains, Newton Wonders, and Keswicks”.
Evidence that the Stocks were leaving the farm can be found on 14 May 1930, when Chas Castle was instructed by Mrs E M Stock to sell by auction at Yew Tree Farm; “1018 head of poultry; 20 poultry houses; poultry appliances”. In addition to the poultry Mrs Stock was also selling off pony miscellania; “… 3 ponies; 2 pony tubs; set pony harness; and a few lots of household furniture”.
Gilbert Stock died in 1958 at Sturminster, Dorset, and Evelyn in 1966 at Gloucester.
In 1930 Clinton Daniel Phelps took over at Yew Tree Farm. In 1930 Clinton Daniel Phelps took over at Yew Tree Farm. Clinton Daniel was born in 1897 at Edgbaston, Warks, son of Henry Humpidge Phelps and Sarah Hannah nee Gill. In 1901 the family were living at 102 Varma Road, Edgbaston, Warks, where Henry was employed as a fruit merchant. By 1911 the family had moved to 17 Speedwell Road, Birmingham, where Henry was still a fruit merchant (dealer) and Clinton was now attending school. Henry traded at Smithfield Market, Birmingham. Clinton’s first employment was as a clerk with Abstainers and General Insurance Co Ltd, 142 Edmund Street, Birmingham, but with the outbreak of the First World War he enlisted into the Warwickshire Yeomanry as Pvte No 3174 on 11 November 1914. [See his full service details under the ‘Military’ -> ‘First World War service’ tabs on this site]. After the war Clinton married Edna Keen at Haresfield in 1926 and had two children; Michael Clinton and Judith.
Clinton and family arrived at Norton in 1930 when they took over the tenancy of Yew Tree Farm and almost immediately they were advertising for their needs. In May 1931; "Wanted to hire or purchase, one or two hay wagons. Clinton Phelps. Norton". In July 1931; "Wanted at once, good reliable farm hand; must be good milker; references required. Clinton Phelps. Norton". This advert for a farm hand appears often over the following 20 years, later including the offer of a cottage near the farm for accommodation, presumably Smithfield.
In May 1931 Clinton put an entry into the Class 2, vanner mare or gelding, four years old or over, suitable for lorry work at the Messrs Bruton Knowles and Co second special spring horse sale at Gloucester market and had a dark bay gelding placed as a reserve winner. In November 1934 Clinton entered the Gloucestershire Root, Fruit and Grain Society's open milk competition and was awarded fifth place [behind Harold Spiers of Green Farm]. In November 1934 Clinton was elected as vice-chairman of the Gloucester National Farmers Union. In September 1936 Edna Phelps was advertising for "Mothers help. No scrubbing of the dairy". In June 1940 Clinton won the Gloucestershire Root, Fruit and Grain Society's Lord Bledisloe's Challenge Cup for the open competition for "a pasture orchard consisting of standard trees, mainly apples, pears and plums, not less than two acres in extent, or two acres being part of a larger orchard". The farm, and indeed a number of other at Norton, always did well in the orchard competitions.
Haymaking at Yew Tree Farm, Bishops Norton, in 1941. Once the hay had been raked it was piled onto a horse and cart and carried back to the farmyard and stacked. On top of this stack we find Janet Horlick, Michael Phelps and Walter Rolls. On the ground are Judith Phelps, Arch Hooper, Charlie Hooper, Clinton Phelps and Christine Horlick.
In October 1944 Edna Phelps was advertising for "woman for housework. 2-4 mornings weekly". In November 1944 Clinton was elected as Norton parish representative with the National Farmers Union.
In May 1945 Clinton was advertising "Baled wheat straw for sale, several tons".
In November 1945 Clinton's son Michael was playing the organ at church services at St Mary's, Norton.
Clinton Phelps’ tenancy is confirmed in the auction notice when the farm was sold as part of the Norton Court Estate in 1952; “The house, buildings and 2 cottages and about 164 acres are in the occupation of Mr Clinton Phelps on a Michaelmas Tenancy which commenced in 1930 at a rent of £329 per annum”. Clinton Phelps bought the farm at the auction.
Clinton Phelps retired from farming in 1970 and his son Michael and wife Rachel, who lived at Smithfield Cottage, took over.
Yew Tree Farm, early 1970s
In 1985 the farm was inspected and became a listed building; “Grade II farmhouse of early 18th century date, with late 19th century alterations, known as Yew Tree Farm, Bishop's Norton”. Its full listing description reads; “Farmhouse. Early C18, late C19. Blue lias plinth, brick and rendered brick, red tile and slate roof, brick stacks. L-shaped plan. Farm building attached rear right, not of special interest. Early C18 cross-gabled-wing projects forwards left; 2½ storeys, formerly lit by 2 and 3-light windows with soldier-arched heads (now mostly blocked) except in right-hand wall. Band between ground and first floor continued back along left-hand side of building. Left-hand wall lit by 2 and 3-light casements with segmental-headed surrounds, plank door in deep reveal into wing. Main body set back on right refaced late C19; 2 storeys, 4-windowed, all 4-pane sashes with drooping horns and gauged brick heads. Marginal lights to ground floor. Central C19 four-panel part-glazed door under lean-to porch. Brick parapet to gables of cross-gabled wing”.
The following article appeared in the Gloucestershire Echo of Wednesday, 24th September, 1986; “Former Prime Minister Harold Wilson was one of the first people to congratulate diamond wedding couple Clinton and Edna Phelps of Norton on their anniversary. Lord Wilson met the couple on one of their regular visits to the Scilly Isles and wished them well for their anniversary which they have just celebrated. Mr Phelps, 89, and Edna, who is 94, were married at Haresfield in 1926 and farmed at Hardwicke for five years before moving to Yew Tree Farm where they have lived ever since. Mr Phelps served with the Warwickshire Yeomanry and the Machine Gun Corps in the First World War and was torpedoed while sailing to France from the Middle East. He spent 12 hours in the water before being rescued by a Japanese destroyer. On his return Mr Phelps ran the farm until handing over the reins to his son Michael and grandson Jeremy in 1970. The couple celebrated their 60 years of marriage with a family party”.
Photo of Clinton and Edna from the Gloucester Journal newspaper of 27 September 1986.
The Phelps’ remained in residence until their deaths; Edna in 1990, Clinton in 1992 and both share a memorial at St Mary’s, Norton, where Clinton was churchwarden for many years. Yew Tree Farm passed to their son Michael.
Michael was born in 1927 and married Rachel Adair Cook in 1955 at Norton. Also born in 1927 Rachel was the daughter of Arthur and Vera Cook of Court Farm, Norton. Rachel died in 2000 and Michael in 2023.
Some years before Michael’s death, Yew Tree Farm passed to his son Jeremy who now runs it with wife Sue.
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