Penhill Farm is on the far left of this photograph taken in June 2026 For most (if not all) of the 19th century, the farm along Penhill Road which today we know as Penhill Farm, was owned by the Turner family. Turner Ownership John and Elizabeth Turner owned and occupied the property from before 1800…
Turner’s Farm in Penhill Road – Part II
In 1800, there were three farms along Penhill Road. William Cockell owns the farm furthest west. It is occupied by William Stebbings. Much later, this farm became known as Penhill Farm West. Joseph Flodman Clover owns a nearby farm. This farm is ‘split’ between two occupiers. Robert Pain occupies the cottage with a barn and…
Turner’s Farm in Penhill Road – Part I
Historically the village of Great Ellingham was very much a farming community. Farms and smallholdings lay scattered across the village, with many of the working population finding work on these farms. Today despite changes in farming practices and recent large-scale housing developments, the village retains its agricultural legacy. It is only in more recent times…
Basil Jude’s “Crime”: Selling Milk at Tuppence a Pint
Louis Lebbell son of dairy farmer William Lebbell, neighbours to Basil Jude, with pails of milk in Long Street c.1932Photograph courtesy of Susan Fay I came across the following interesting report published in the Daily Express of the 29th November, 1934 under the heading ‘The Farmer Who Sold Cheap Milk To The Poor‘. This was…
The Owners & Occupiers of Homelea Farm – Part III
Homelea Farm in the distance centre of the photograph. June 2026 Homelea Farm is tucked away along a ‘driftway’ off Penhill Road. The road has also been known as Penhill Lane and Pen Hill. In Part I, we established that the farmhouse was probably built between 1843 and 1861. The property has also been known…
The Owners & Occupiers of Homelea Farm – Part IV
Extract from the map attached to a Conveyance dated 11 October 1964Courtesy J & A Hughes Homelea Farm is tucked away along a ‘driftway’ off Penhill Road. In Part I, we established that the farmhouse was probably built between 1843 and 1861. We took the history forward to 1879, when the property was occupied by…
The Owners & Occupiers of Homelea Farm – Part II
Extract from the map attached to a Conveyance dated 11 October 1964Courtesy J & A Hughes Homelea Farm is tucked away along a ‘driftway’ off Penhill Road. Historically, the road is also referred to as Penhill Lane and Pen Hill. In Part I, we established that the farmhouse was probably built between 1843 and 1861….
The Owners & Occupiers of Homelea Farm – Part I
Homelea Farm sits along a lane off Penhill Road, and to the west of Penhill Farm. The property has been known as Penhill Lane Farm, Low Lane Farm and Low Farm. However by the 1930s, it is known as Homelea Farm. For ease of reference, I will usually refer to the property as Homelea Farm…
Members of the Mallett Family succumb to Consumption
Many visitors to my website will know that I enjoy researching individuals or families who connect with our village. I frequently find myself going down many rabbit holes but usually find village links which, until then, I knew nothing about! Whilst researching some of the history of Homelea Farm in Penhill Road, I came across…
The Barnard Brothers’ Borrowings on their Great Ellingham Properties
Historical deeds can be both interesting and enlightening. Before the relatively recent requirement for the registration of property and land transactions, bundles of deeds were investigated by a buyer’s lawyer and handed over to the new owner on completion. Unlike most of the modern conveyancing documents, the old indentures contain lengthy narratives. These narratives provide…