Your House and Mine

The Old Parsonage

Introduction
Map of Frieth
Moor End
   Bramblings
   Astrea
   Merrydown Cottage
   Corner Cottage
   Moor's End Cottages
   Moor Gate House
   Underwood
   The Copse
Fingest Road
   The Forge
   Folly Cottages
   The Willows
Perrin Springs Lane
   Perrin Springs
   West's Cottages
Ellery Rise
   Hilliers
   Lynden Cottage
Frieth Hill
   Hillside Cottage
   Rowleys
   Pear Tree Cottage
   Hillside View
   The Platt
   Little Barlows
   Cutlers Cottage
   Yew Tree Cottage
   Little Cottage
   Barlows
   Birch Cottage
   Tedders / Rose Cottage
   The Old Stores
   The Yew Tree Inn
   Fairfield House
   Flint Cottage 1
   Flint Cottage 2
   Inglenook
   Middle Cottage
   Sunny Corner
   The Gables
   The Orchards
   Hilltop
   Cattons
   Mallards
   Hillswood
   The Old Parsonage
   White Gates
   The Laurels
   The Cottage
   The Firm
   Marlstone
   Westwood
   Bradstone
   Haylescroft
   The Niche
   Rivendell
   Summerhill
   Ashcroft
   Selborne
   The Ranch House
   Sara's Cottage
   The Cherries
   The Old School House
Innings Road
   Collier's Farm
   Innings Gate
   Down the Lane
   Sunset Cottage
   Fermain
   Chilterns
   Rowan Cottage
   Creighton Cottage
   Apple Tree
   Old Well Cottage
   The Cottage
   Flat Roof
   Whitsun
   Backlins
   Red Kites
   Maidenscraft
Spurgrove Lane
   Maidencraft Cottage
   September Cottage
   Spurgrove Cottage
   Gable End
   Willems
   Elder Barn
   Sunnydale

The Old Parsonage, Frieth, about 1981 - From Joan Barksfield's collection

The Old Parsonage was built in 1869 by the Diocesan Architect during the time of Canon Ridley, Rector of Hambleden. The Old Parsonage is a well built Victorian red brick house having, originally, a parlour, morning room, study, kitchen, scullery and large pantry downstairs. There is a cellar below with provision for salting a side of bacon on a long wide shelf.

As well as the family bedrooms there was accommodation for two servants.

Behind the house is a separate block comprising stabling, carriage house and bread oven. There were pigsties at the bottom of the garden. Water was provided from rainwater off the slate roof first into a large cistern and thence to a hand pump over the scullery sink.

From the Tithe Map this house appears to have been built on part of the plot of land known as Ive's Platt. There is evidence of an earlier garden wall beneath the present 1869 one, at least two hundred years old between what was Ive's Platt and Pear Tree Close. The latter is the meadow referred to above as belonging to the shop/bakehouse holding. From the Tithe Map of 1845 Scott-Murray, Lord of the Manor of Hambleden, owned Ive's Platt, Elizabeth Lewis owned Pear Tree Close. However an earlier map of 1780 showed that Pear Tree Close formed part of Parmoor Estate then owned by the D'Oyly Family. [ You can find the Tithe Map under "Hambleden" on the menu bar above ]

The Old Parsonage porch, Frieth, 1969 - From Joan Barksfield's collection

The first curate of Frieth to occupy The Parsonage was the Rev. Slocock, son-in-law of H.W.Cripps of Parmoor (who may well have had some influence on the type and style of building). In World War I two of Rev. Slocock's sons were killed in action and are now commemorated on the memorial behind the font in Frieth Church; this was carved by Alfred Hussey who worked for the firm of West & Collier and lived at Pear Tree Cottage.

Tales of the various curates are numerous : a certain Rev. Ledbetter had a great love of elder bushes and planted them round the garden - subsequent owners have trying to get rid of them ever since.

Then there was the Rev. James who had been an army major in India, he had also been a rowing man. Henley Regatta would see him cycling across Haylesfield Henley-wards wearing his Leander cap to spend the day at the Regatta. One much loved curate during WW II was the Rev. Chandler [ some of whose reminiscences I have on file and may become a chapter of "A History of Frieth" ]

When the annual Bank Holiday Fête was first organised in aid of church and school funds, it was held in the Parsonage grounds.

Back  Forward

[ In the files I have found this photograph taken on the Parsonage Lawn c1930 marked "Women's Fellowship and London friends"

Womens Fellowship and London friends c1930 on the Parsonage Lawn, from Joan Barksfield's collection

On the back of the photograph is written :

Mrs Tapping            Olive L               x

Mrs Culdron            Mrs Lambley      Mrs Russell

x                              x                        Mrs Atkins

Mrs Ansell               x                        x

x                              x                        x

x                              x                        x

x                              x                        Mrs Parr

Mrs Brown              x

x                              x

Miss West               x

x                              Mrs Barksfield

Mrs Shaw                x

x                              x

Miss E Barksfield     x

x                              x

                                Mrs Ireland

 

C. Centre Pat Tapping  ]

Back  Forward