Double Cottage at Penhill Road. Photograph courtesy of McDouall family
For nearly two centuries, the above double cottage is one of just a few houses in Penhill Road. It was built around 1810 on a piece of land formerly part of of ‘Pennell Common’. Like many other historical houses in the village, the cottage has been much altered over the years.
In this article, we take the history of ‘the double cottage’ from its construction to more recent times.
We begin the story at the time of the Great Ellingham Inclosures.
Great Ellingham Inclosure Map 1802
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 blue arrow on the above extract from the Great Ellingham Inclosure Map of 1802, shows the position of an allotment which comprise one acre, three roods and twenty six perches (1a 3r 26p). The owner’s name is stated to be ‘James Rose’.
Owner, William Rose
At the time of his death in 1799, Great Ellingham shopkeeper William Rose owned the allotment as well as:
- the house adjoining the northern side of the churchyard in Church Street with the adjoining shop, which later became the Supply Stores. William Rose occupied these premises
- the thatched house with wheelwright’s shop along the Attleborough Road, which today we know as Glenfield House & Glenfield Cottage. This was occupied by Samuel Barnard
- another acre of land
William Rose nominated his brother, James Rose of Besthorpe, along with his friends, James Rose of Attleburgh and William Colman also of Attleburgh, as his executors. Rose also instructed his executors to sell all his messuages, lands and tenements in Besthorpe and Great Ellingham, as soon as possible after his death.
New Owner, John Warren
On the 19th November, 1802, William Rose’s executors sold the allotment at Pennell Common to local farmer, John Warren, of Tanyard Farm.
In the Conveyance Deed, John Warren nominated John Harvey, a gentleman of Watton, as his trustee. Accordingly, I think it more than possible that Warren purchased the land and property with a mortgage.
The conveyance document specifically describes the land as:
...all that allotment or piece of land then late parcel of the common pasture of Great Ellingham and then in the occupation of the said John Warren containing by estimation two acres bounded by a public road leading from Great Ellingham to Shropham towards the north by lands of William Kiddall towards the east by lands of Benjamin Turner towards the south and by lands of Robert Brooks towards the west
Warren paid the sum of £225. However, this sum included the purchase of the house with carpenter’s shop on the Attleborough Road, the one acre of land and the allotment.
Sale to John Ashby
Extract of Indenture 6 July 1810 (1) J Warren (2) J Harvey (3) John Ashby contained in an Abstract of Title dated 1863.
Courtesy Shirley Caston
On the 6th July, 1810, John Warren sold the allotment to tinker John Ashby of Great Ellingham. John Harvey was also party to the Conveyance Deed. Again his role was a trustee, nominated by John Warren.
Ashby paid £110 for the absolute purchase of the allotment free from any incumbrances i.e. mortgages, restrictions etc.
A greater part of the purchase price was paid to John Warren. However, John Harvey received a nominal amount, perhaps to release his interest in the property. Nevertheless, it seems that John Ashby was already ‘in occupation’ of the allotment prior to his purchase.
The conveyance deed does not refer to any building on the allotment. However, the double cottage was built by October the following year.
Notice of Auction
The following notice is published in the Norfolk Chronicle dated the 26th October, 1811:
GREAT ELLINGHAM. To be sold by Auction by T. Driver
On Monday the 11th November, 1811, at the sign of The Crown, Great Ellingham (if not sooner disposed of by private contract)
A freehold double cottage situate in Great Ellingham aforesaid with large garden, yard, stable etc in the occupation of John Ashby and William Margetson
The premises are all in good repair and possession may be had immediately
For price and particulars apply to the Proprietor Mr John Ashby on the premises
The same notice was published again on the 9th November.
Nevertheless, it seems that the property did not sell at auction.
John Ashby makes a Will
Just weeks after the auction date, John Ashby signed his last will and testament. The will is dated the 7th December, 1811. He died barely two weeks later, and was buried in the churchyard of St James on the 23rd December.
Life Tenancy to Joseph & Sarah
John Ashby bequeathed a life tenancy in his double cottage (which included all outhouses, buildings, yard and garden) to his brother and sister-in-law, Joseph and Sarah Ashby. His wish being that Joseph and Sarah would use the property for the benefit and maintenance, as well as the education and bringing up, of their family.
Life Tenancy for Mary
Following the deaths of both Joseph and Sarah Ashby, the ownership of the double cottage would pass to their daughter Mary. Again this legacy is limited to Mary’s lifetime.
John Ashby also stipulated that Joseph, Sarah and Mary should keep the double cottage in good and tenantable repair. He also made further conditions regarding the inheritance of the cottage.
‘Special Intailment’
After the death of Mary Ashby, the ownership of the double cottage is to pass to ‘the right heir of the family of the Ashbys as a special intailment’. Accordingly, the cottage would pass to the eldest son of such heir of the Ashby family ‘for ever’. This means that the property could not be mortgaged or sold.
In addition, John Ashby stipulated that ‘if any right heir should happen to sue out, or levy a fine, in any of His Majesty’s Courts of Record of Westminster in order to bar such intailment or make sale’, then that should be void and null, and have no effect whatsoever.
Executors
John Ashby appointed local men, William Rose and William Birch, as his executors.
As it happens, it was William Rose who proved the will in the Archdeaconry Court of Norfolk on the 29th January, 1812. Nevertheless, power was reserved to William Birch.
Joseph Ashby
Joseph Ashby was born around 1752.
Marriage to Susanna Tallowin
All Saints Church, Rocklands. Photograph taken 19th August 2022
On the 17th October, 1775, he married Susanna Tallowin in the parish church of Rockland All Saints with Saint Andrew. The marriage entry states that Joseph Ashby was of Great Ellingham and single.
The couple had two known children baptised in St James’s Church, Great Ellingham. Joseph baptised on the 26th January, 1777 and Anne on May 6th, 1781.
I know that Joseph’s wife Susanna died before 1801. Accordingly, I wonder if she is the Susan Ashby described as pauper, who was buried at Rockland All Saints and Saint Andrew on the 17th January, 1794.
Marriage to Sarah Clark
49 year old widower Joseph Ashby (then said to be living in the parish of Rockland All Saints with Saint Andrew), remarries in the same church on the 22nd September, 1801.
Joseph’s bride is 28 year old spinster Sarah Clark who is also of the same parish.
Their son, John, was baptised in Rocklands on the 14th February, 1802.
However by 1804, Joseph and Sarah are living in Great Ellingham. The couple had three further known children. Mary was baptised in St James’s Church on the 19th February, 1804. She was followed by Robert who was baptised on the 21st June, 1807 and then Susan on the 22nd July, 1810.
Sadly, the couple buried Robert on the 17th July, 1808.
Joseph Ashby died at the age of 67. He was buried in the churchyard of St James on the 22nd October, 1811.
I have no doubt that Sarah Ashby and her children continued to occupy the property.
1817-1819
A Survey of Great Ellingham dated 1817-1819, shows that the ‘allotment with house’ is occupied by Sarah Ashby and Robert Raven. No doubt the rent from Robert Raven would have supplemented the Ashby household’s income.
On the 5th September, 1819, Mary Ashby marries bachelor John Rivett in St James’s Church, Great Ellingham.
1830s
Another survey carried out in Great Ellingham in the 1830s, shows that Sarah Ashby and Robert Raven still occupied the double cottage.
Earlier, on the 22nd November, 1830, Susan Ashby married John Pea in St James.
Sadly, Susan’s elder sister Mary (now Mary Rivett) died in 1839.
1841 Census
I believe that at the time of the 1841 census (6th June 1841), Sarah Ashby is living with 75 year old shoemaker William Bilham in Bow Street. The census describes Sarah as a housekeeper.
Sarah’s daughter, Susan (Susanna) is with her husband John Pea and their children living in the double cottage in Penhill Road.
Death of Sarah Ashby
However just a few months later, Sarah Ashby died at the age of 68. She was buried in Great Ellingham churchyard on the 21st November, 1841.
Joseph Ashby Inherits
With the death of the last ‘life tenant’, the ownership of the double cottage passes to the ‘right heir of the Ashby family’ i.e. along the male line as set out in John Ashby’s will.
As it happens, the heir to the property is 64 year old Joseph Ashby. He is the son of Joseph Ashby and his first wife, Susanna nèe Tallowin.
The 1841 census captures shoemaker Joseph Ashby with his 18 year old son, Samuel, in the parish of St Botolph, Colchester. By this time, Joseph had been widowed twice.
However, it seems that Joseph Ashby had no use for the double cottage in Great Ellingham. Despite the restrictions set out in his late uncle’s will, Joseph Ashby sells the property.
Nevertheless, Joseph Ashby will have taken the matter to the High Court of Chancery in order to free the property from his late uncle’s trust which he had created in his will.
Sale to James Rose
Extract from Indenture dated 21 April 1842 (1) J Ashby (2) J Rose (3) G F Francklin contained in an Abstract of Title dated 1863
Courtesy Shirley Caston
On the 21st April, 1842, shoemaker Joseph Ashby of Colchester, Essex completed the sale of the following property to Great Ellingham shopkeeper, James Rose:
All that piece of land formerly parcel of the Common pasture of Great Ellingham sometime since in the occupation of J Warren containing by estimation two acres bounded by a public road leading from Great Ellingham to Shropham towards the north by land of William Kiddell Warren towards the east by lands then late of Benjamin Turner and then late of Theophilus Smith towards the south and by lands then late of Robert Brooks and then of Roger Turvey towards the west
AND ALSO ALL THAT DOUBLE COTTAGE or tenement erected and built in part of the said piece of land as all the said premises were then late in the occupation of the said Jno. Ashby and Joseph Ashby and were then or then late in the occupation of George Haylett and John Pea
We continue the fascinating history of the double cottage in Penhill Road in Part II.
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
Private Deeds Collection. Shirley Caston
26th October, 1811 & 9th November, 1811. Norfolk Chronicle. Viewed via The British Newspaper Archive
Rockland All Saints with Saint Andrew Parish Registers. Norfolk Record Office. PD 335. Transcript, Rockland All Saints Marriage 1755-1903. Norfolk Family History Society & Transcriptions FreeReg website
Great Ellingham Parish Registers. Norfolk Record Office. PD 609. Also available via www.familysearch.org
1841 census HO107/781/8, HO107/344/3