Home Cottage Farm
Photograph taken October 2023
Great Ellingham is fortunate to have some fantastic historical buildings. One such gem is a delightful farmhouse in Penhill Road. Today, this house is known as Home Cottage Farm.
Situated at the far western end of Penhill Road, Home Cottage Farm is a stone’s throw from the parish boundary with Rocklands.
My first glimpse of the house took me back to a distant past. To a time when there were no modern facilities, such as running water, sewerage disposal or electricity. Transport was by horse or shanks’s pony. A time before the railway network reached this part of Norfolk. It wasn’t until 1848 that Attleborough Railway Station opened, with the station at Stow Bedon opening much later in 1869.
Just as it may have done some two centuries earlier, the house is surrounded by meadow. Some of the old farm buildings have now been renovated and converted.
Inscribed Tablet
However the ‘icing on the cake’ is the charming and fascinating inscription on a stone tablet, set centrally into the front wall of the house. The inscription clearly reads ‘R. & C. M. Home Cottage 1838’.
The inscription on the front of Home Cottage Farm
Photograph taken October 2023
Changes
There is no doubt that the house will have experienced many changes over the centuries. The house has certainly been extended at rear. The windows and doors too may well have been replaced – perhaps many times over the years.
Although the stone tablet gives a date of 1838, I know there was a house on this land much earlier. However, I do not know whether the earlier house was completely replaced in 1838, or whether the earlier house underwent extensive renovations.
The initials ‘R. & C. M.’ also piqued my curiosity. Are they a reference to the builders or craftsmen who worked on the house, or do they have some other meaning?
I begin my quest for answers with the earliest evidence I have found so far, which refers to a dwelling on this land.
1800
A Particulars & Valuation of Great Ellingham dated 1800 reveals that Robert Pain occupied a cottage, barn and yard owned by Joseph Flodman Clover. Local miller, Thomas Steward, occupied various parcels of land which also belonged to Joseph Clover.
As the numbering of the schedules to the Particulars & Valuation concur with the Great Ellingham Inclosure Map, we can tell exactly where Clover’s cottage is.
Extract from 1802 Map of Great Ellingham. Russell James Colman Plans. Norfolk Record Office Cat. Ref. C/Ca 1/84.
All rights reserved Norfolk Record Office
With kind permission of NRO
The arrow on the above extract from the 1802 map indicates the position of the cottage, which is also shown as Home Cottage Farm on the later map of 1906 (below).
Penhill Farm West is also identified on the 1802 map – near to the name ‘Cockle’.
Second Edition. O.S. Map, 1906. Wayland Union R.D. Norfolk Sheet LXXXV. S.W. Great Ellingham
Courtesy of Ray & Maureen Beales
1819
By 1819, the cottage with the barn and some of the land (together comprising just over 16 acres), was owned and occupied by Jonathan Lock. Daniel Alexander then owned some of the land which was previously owned by Joseph Clover.
1840s
However by the time the Great Ellingham Tithe Map was prepared during the mid-1840s, the ‘cottage with garden, premises and pasture’ was owned by Robert Martin.
Although the documentation shows John Martin as the owner, I believe reference to ‘John’ was erroneous, and it should read Robert. The cottage and premises were occupied by John Cowles.
Electoral Registers
The Electoral Registers for 1842/1843 show that Robert Martin of St Peter Mancroft in Norwich owned a freehold house and land at Penhill Low Road. Reference to Robert Martin owning this freehold house and land continues in the Electoral Registers through to 1867.
Further, Manning Robert Denew (also found Robert Manning Denew), a farmer of nearby Rockland All Saints, is shown to occupy a property near Penhill Road.
Accordingly, I believe that Robert Denew leased the cottage and land from Robert Martin and, in turn, let the cottage to one of his employees.
Robert Martin
Born around 1795, Robert was the son of Leonard Martin and his wife Abigail née Kett.
He married Catherine Barnard on the 28th November, 1816, in the Parish Church of St Peter Parmentergate, Norwich.
Catherine Barnard was the daughter of William Barnard and his wife Catherine née Martin. She was born about 1795, and baptised the same year on the 29th November, in the Parish Church of St Michael at Thorn also in Norwich.
Bearing in mind that Catherine’s husband’s surname was Martin, it is possible that Robert and Catherine were related before their marriage.
Children
I believe the couple had at least 7 children.
| 1817 | Robert Barnard Martin |
| 1819 | Charles Ling Martin |
| 1821 | Henry Kett Martin |
| 1823 | William Barnard Martin |
| 1828 | Leonard Barnard Martin |
| 1831 | Catherine Barnard Martin |
| 1835 | Catherine Barnard Martin |
1841 census
The national head-count of 1841 captures Robert Martin with his wife Catherine and four of their children (Robert, Charles, William and Leonard) at Old Hay Hill, Norwich. Robert is described as a sheriff’s officer. He was involved in the collection of taxes, law and enforcement in the parish.
Former Occupations
Much earlier in 1817 and 1819, the baptism records for his sons Robert Barnard Martin and Charles Ling Martin refer to Robert’s occupation as a weaver.
However in 1821 and 1823, the baptism entries for William Barnard Martin and Henry Kett Martin give Robert Martin’s occupation as a publican.
1838 Home Cottage
I have not found any evidence that Robert and Catherine Martin ever lived in Home Cottage.
However, I wonder how (and perhaps why), they acquired the property. Did Robert Martin purchase the cottage as an investment, or did Robert and Catherine acquire it by inheritance?
Was Home Cottage important to the couple? Why else would they leave their mark on the cottage, and in such a prominent position?
We know that at the beginning of the 19th century, that the cottage was owned by Joseph Flodman Clover. Later, it was owned by Jonathan Lock. Have either Robert or Catherine a family connection with either of these two families? I think further in-depth family research is needed here!
In the meantime, what was the significance (if any) of the year 1838?
Was it the year that Robert and Catherine acquired Home Cottage, or was it the year that the building works were completed?
Unfortunately, I do not have the answers.
Death of Catherine Martin née Barnard
On Saturday the 14th December, 1850, the Lynn Advertiser published a notice confirming the death of Catherine, the wife of Mr Robert Martin of St Peter’s Mancroft, Norwich. Catherine Martin was 55 years old.
1851
The following year, the census of 1851 finds 55 year old widower, Robert Martin, still living at Hay Hill in Norwich. With Robert is his 22 year old son, Leonard Barnard Martin, and a 17 year old general servant Ann Elliott.
Robert is still working as a sheriff’s officer and Leonard as a solicitor’s general clerk.
1861
Ten years’ later, Robert Martin is again captured in Hay Hill, Norwich. However he is now living alone, apart from his house servant, Ann Elliott. The census gives Robert’s occupation as ‘Removal Officer’.
Accordingly, and although Robert continued to be an ‘officer on the parish of St Peter Mancroft’, he now dealt with the ‘removal’ of those paupers having ‘settlement’ in other parishes.
Death of Robert Martin
Robert Martin died on the 26th January, 1868 aged 72. He had been suffering with bronchitis.
Great Ellingham Property
Robert Martin’s will (made some 27 years before his death), was proved by two of his sons, Robert and Leonard.
Although Robert Martin bequeathed his household furniture, plate, linen, china and all his personal effects to his wife, Catherine Martin had predeceased her husband by some 16 years. Accordingly these items, together with Robert Martin’s real estate, was sold and the proceeds divided equally amongst his children.
I found it interesting (and useful!) that Robert specifically mentions his Great Ellingham property in his will:
‘All that my farm house and lands situate at Great Ellingham in the County of Norfolk containing about Eighteen acres in the occupation of Reuben Haythorpe..’
Robert bequeathed the property to Catherine. However this gift was limited to her lifetime. Upon her decease the house to be sold.
In the event, Catherine did not survive her husband and, in accordance with Robert Martin’s will, the property would be sold.
Reuben Haythorpe
The 1841 census (undertaken some six weeks after Robert Martin signed his will), captures farmer Rheuben Haythrop with his wife Hannah, in the Penhill area of Great Ellingham. However by 1851, the couple had moved on.
Robert Fulcher
I believe that at the time of the 1851 census, 35 year old Bressingham born Robert Fulcher occupied Home Cottage Farm, and farmed some 22 acres.
The census captures Robert Fulcher at ‘Pen Hill’ with his 31 year old wife Susannah and their children Sarah Ann aged 11, Robert James 10, Jonathan 5, Elizabeth 3 and six month old Susannah. Robert Fulcher’s 81 year old widowed mother, Mary Fulcher, is also with the household.
This Fulcher family still occupied Home Cottage Farm at the time of the 1861 census. By then, the couple had welcomed another son, George, who was now two years old.
However by the time the property was auctioned in 1871, Home Cottage Farm had new tenants.
Auction
On the 22nd July, 1871, the Norfolk Chronicle published the following notice:
GREAT ELLINGHAM
DESIRABLE INVESTMENTS
SALTER & SIMPSON are favoured with instructions from the Executors of the late Mr ROBERT MARTIN to SELL by AUCTION at the Royal Hotel, Norwich, on Saturday July 29th, 1871, at Three o’clock in the Afternoon, in three Lots
Lot 1 – A valuable small FREEHOLD ESTATE, with Dwelling-House, and all requisite Outbuildings and about 17 Acres of excellent ARABLE and PASTURE LAND, situate in the Parish of Great Ellingham, near Attleborough, and now in the occupation of Mr Robert Self, whose tenancy expires at Michaelmas
Lot 2 – MOIETY of a £1000 on the Life of a Lady nearly Ninety years of age
Lot 3 – POLICY (NORWICH UNION) on Life about 60 years of age, with Bonuses accruing.
Further Particulars and Conditions of Sale may be had of the Auctioneers, Attleborough
1871 census
Undertaken some four months prior to the auction, the national head-count of 1871, shows 42 year old widower James Self in Penhill Road. I believe him to be at Home Cottage Farm.
With James Self are his two sons, James 6 and Frederick 3, together with a general servant, Maria Garrod.
Old Buckenham born James Self is said to be farming 17 acres and employing one boy.
Robert or James Self?
Although the auction details refer to ‘Robert Self’ as the occupier of the Martin’s property, I believe it to be erroneous. It should read ‘James Self’. However, it is not uncommon to find errors in documents.
New Owner for Home Cottage Farm
I have no doubt that Home Cottage Farm sold at the auction on the 22nd July, 1871. This ended the Martin family’s ownership spanning at least 33 years.
Conclusion
Although I have no doubt that the initials inscribed on the stone tablet are those of Robert and Catherine Martin, I have not discovered the significance of 1838.
Further, I am confident that the origins of Home Cottage is much earlier than 1838. However, I cannot say whether any part of the cottage which was occupied by Robert Pain at the turn of the 19th century, survives today – although I tend to think it probably does!
Sources:
1802 Russell James Colman Plans. Great Ellingham. Norfolk Record Office. Catalogue Ref. C/Ca 1/84.
1799-1842 F W Horner, Records of the Surveyors to Commissioners for Inclosure in Parishes in Norfolk and Suffolk. Great Ellingham (Act 1799). Norfolk Record Office. Catalogue Ref: NRO, BR 90/2
1800 Inclosure Commissioner’s Particulars and Valuation, Great Ellingham. Norfolk Record Office. Catalogue Ref: NRO, MC 2213/119
1799 Statement of Claims. Great Ellingham Inclosure. Norfolk Record Office. Catalogue Ref: MC 2213/118
Great Ellingham Tithe Map 1843. Tithe Apportionments, 1836-1929 [database online]. TheGenealogist.co.uk 2023. Original data: “IR29 Tithe Commission and successors: Tithe Apportionments” The National Archives
England, Norfolk Register of Electors, 1832-1915. Norfolk Record Office. Viewed via FamilySearch
Norwich, St Peter Mancroft Parish Registers. Norfolk Record Office PD 26. Viewed via www.ancestry.co.uk
Norwich, St Michael at Thorn Archdeacon’s & Bishop’s Transcripts. Norfolk Record Office. PD 74. Viewed via www.ancesty.co.uk
Norwich, St Peter Parmentergate Parish Registers. Norfolk Record Office PD 162. www.ancestry.co.uk
1841 census HO107/790/7, HO107/781/8
1851 census HO107/1815/350, HO107/1823/112-113
1861 census RG9/1217/172, RG12/1237/81-82
1871 census RG10/1841/77-78
Norwich, St Peter per Mountergate M.I.s. Norfolk Family History Society.
22nd July, 1871 Norfolk Chronicle
29th January, 1868. Norwich Mercury
14th December, 1850. Lynn Advertiser. Newspapers viewed via The British Newspaper Archive
24th February 1868. Probate of Will dated 27th April 1841 & Two Codicils 24th September 1864 & 17th September 1867 of Robert MARTIN late of the city of Norwich. Copy obtained from https://www.gov.uk/search-will-probate