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 that the names of farms or buildings have become established.
Confusingly, two different farms on Penhill Road were both known as Penhill Farm. These are the properties which today we know as ‘Penhill Farm’ and ‘Penhill Farm West’.
Penhill Farm is the first farm you come to when going out of the village along Penhill Road towards Rocklands. Penhill Farm West is further along the road, towards the boundary with Rocklands.
These two farms, along with Home Cottage Farm, existed at the turn of the 19th century.
Extract from 1802 Map of Great Ellingham. Russell James Colman Plans.
All rights reserved Norfolk Record Office Cat. Ref. C/Ca 1/84.
Here, we look at the owners and occupiers of Penhill Farm.
In another article, we established that at the time of the Great Ellingham Inclosures c.1801, this farm is owned and occupied by John Turner and his wife Elizabeth.
Lack of Deeds
Unfortunately, I have not yet discovered any historical deeds for this property. Accordingly, I have had to rely on other sources to try to identify the owners and occupiers of the farm after John Turner. These sources include census returns and electoral registers. Further, I have also investigated some manorial records in an attempt to discover who owned the farm before John and Elizabeth Turner.
Farmhouse
Today’s farmhouse is not the farmhouse which John and Elizabeth Turner inhabited some two hundred years ago.
The present house was constructed before June 1926, when an auction notice describes it as a “newly built brick and tile farmhouse.” The earlier house was likely demolished around this time to make way for the new building.
Copyhold Land
The Great Ellingham Inclosure documentation of c.1801, tells us that John and Elizabeth Turner’s property included parcels of copyhold land. These were of the Manors of Ellingham Hall, Ellingham Rectory, Bury Hall, Buckenham Castle Outsoken, Buckeham Lathes Outsoken and Attleborough Mortimers.
What’s more, we are in a time when married women had little (or no) rights with regard to property ownership. Accordingly, it is significant that Elizabeth is mentioned with her husband John as an owner. This suggests that at least part of the farm once belonged to Elizabeth’s family.
Many manorial records are freely available to view online via the FamilySearch website. This includes some of the Court Books for the Manors of Buckenham Lathes and Attleborough Mortimers. I checked through some of these manorial records.
Earlier History
I discovered that Elizabeth Turner had indeed inherited copyhold land of these two Manors from her father, Jeremiah Ellis. He died in August 1782. The question arises, did Elizabeth also inherit the farmhouse, the freehold land and other copyhold land ?
Attleborough Mortimers
The Manor Court Books for Attleborough Mortimers tell us that around 1730, Jeremiah Ellis inherited certain copyhold land of this Manor from his father, Thomas Ellis.
In turn, Thomas Ellis had inherited the land on the death of his father, also a Jeremiah Ellis, in November 1712.
Buckenham Lathes Outsoken
In 1730, Jeremiah Ellis also inherited certain copyhold land of this manor from his father, Thomas Ellis.
Interestingly, the Court Books for the Manor of Buckenham Lathes Outsoken, also tell us that Elizabeth Turner inherited copyhold land of this Manor following the death of both her father Jeremiah Ellis and her mother Mary Ellis. Again this is an indication that Mary Ellis herself had inherited land.
It transpires that around 1756 Jeremiah and Mary Ellis inherited at least some of the copyhold land on the death of Mary’s father, John Barnard. In fact, the manorial records include entries relating to other parcels of copyhold land owned by John Barnard. Mary’s brother John Barnard (the eldest son of their father) and her brother William, also inherited land from their father, John Barnard.
We can but wonder whether the farmhouse (which in 1800 is occupied by John Turner and his wife Elizabeth nèe Ellis), was once owned by the Ellis family, or by the Barnard family, or neither?
However, I do not know when the (original) farmhouse was built. Having said that, I feel sure it would have been established well before John and Elizabeth Turner acquired the farm.
Deaths of John & Elizabeth Turner
Elizabeth Turner (formerly Elizabeth Ellis) died in June 1808. Her husband John Turner died in January 1814.
The ownership of the property passed to the couple’s son, John Ellis Turner (1776-1842). The farm remained in the Turner family for generations to come. However (as far as I know), no further members of the Turner family lived at the farm. It was occupied by tenants.
New Owner John Ellis Turner
John Ellis Turner is the fifth known child of John and Elizabeth Turner (nèe Ellis). I have no doubt that he was born in the family’s home in Penhill Road.
His baptism took place in the Church of St James, Great Ellingham on the 3rd March 1776.
On the 25th September, 1880, John Ellis Turner married Susan (Susanna) Colman in the Parish Church of Ashwellthorpe. At this time, John is living in Old Buckenham and his bride-to-be in Ashwellthorpe. John’s parents are still in Great Ellingham.
Children Baptised in Great Ellingham
Following the marriage, John and Susan Turner made their home in the village of Old Buckenham. However, the couple brought their children for baptism at the Baptist Church in Long Street, Great Ellingham. Their known children are:
Susanna born 13th August, 1801 (died before 1807); John born 27th November, 1802; Mary born 14th December, 1803 (possibly died 1818); Susanna born 29th January, 1807 (died 1820); Eliza born 28th May, 1809 and Lucy born 6th December, 1810.
In the August of 1810, John Mickleborough was convicted of stealing a copper tea kettle from ‘Mr John Turner of Old Buckenham’. Mickleborough was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment. This confirms that the family were still living in Old Buckenham at that time.
Move to Scarning
Nevertheless by 1820, John and Susan Turner had moved to Scarning. Even so, they continued to own the farm in Penhill Road , which by at least the 1830s, is occupied by Robert Simmons (also found as Semmence).
Sadly, John and Susan’s daughter Susanna (born 1807), died at the age of 13 in Scarning in 1820. Her remains were brought to Great Ellingham for burial at the Baptist Church burial ground.
1841 census – Scarning
The 1841 census captures John Ellis Turner and his wife Susan (both aged 65) living in Scarning along with their 30 year old daughter Lucy.
Family Marriages
Two family marriages had taken place the previous year.
In January, 1840, John and Susan’s daughter Eliza had married William Wilson of Flordon Mills at the Independent Chapel in East Dereham.
On the 13th May, 1840, John and Susan Turner’s son and heir, John Jnr, married spinster Elizabeth Capps in her home parish church of Paddington, Middlesex. This was John Jnr’s second marriage. His first wife having died.
John Turner Jnr
The 1841 census finds 38 year old John Turner (Jnr) living with his wife Elizabeth nèe Capps at Trowse Hall, Trowse Newton, Norwich. The couple have a six-week-old daughter, Janette.
It may be that Trowse Hall came to John Turner Jnr. via his mother’s Colman family or another family connection. However, I have not made any investigations here.
Deaths of John & Susan Turner
John Ellis Turner, born in Great Ellingham in 1776 to John and Elizabeth Turner, died in Scarning on the 9th October, 1842 aged 66. His wife, Susan (Susanna) Turner nèe Colman, died on the 19th November 1845, at the age of 69.
At the time of his death, the farm in Penhill Road is still owned by John Ellis Turner (1766-1842).
1843 Auction
The following is published in the Norfolk Chronicle on the 15th July, 1843:
GREAT ELLINGHAM
A Very Valuable Small Farm at Great Ellingham near Attleburgh, Norfolk
Mr Butcher is directed by the Executors of the late Mr John Ellis Turner to Sell by Auction at the Cock Inn, Attleburgh on Thursday 27th day of July 1843 at four o'clock in the afternoon
A truly Desirable and Valuable FARM of 56 acres 3 roods 3 perches of fertile arable and rich pasture land including a small farmhouse, barn, stables, cow-house, granary, orchard and garden in the parish of Great Ellingham, now in the occupation of Mr Robert Simmons, an excellent tenant, and of which possession may be had at Old Michaelmas 1844
As it happens, the farm either did not sell or it was withdrawn from the auction. Consequently, the ownership of the farm passed to John and Susan Turner’s son, John Turner. Robert Simmons continued to occupy the farm until his death in January 1859.
Copyhold Tenant John Turner
On the 31st October, 1843, John Turner described as the ‘only son and heir of John Ellis Turner deceased’, was admitted as a copyhold tenant of the Manor of Attleborough Mortimers. This is in respect of two pieces of copyhold land of the Manor which was once owned by his late father.
John Turner is also described as a farmer of Trowse Hall.
1851 census
Trowse Newton Trowse Old Hall [5081] 1966-09-10. NE side of The Street, 17c with gothic revival alterations
George Plunkett’s Photographs. www.georgeplunkett.co.uk
The national headcount of 1851 finds 48 year old John Turner at Trowse Hall, Trowse Newton with his 32 year old wife Elizabeth and 8 children. Janette Elizabeth 9, Anna Maria 8, John Ellis 6, Sidney 5, Alfred Edward 4, twins Horace and Louisa 2 and one year old Ellen Jessie.
John Turner is a farmer of some 600 acres and employs 17 men and 7 boys. His household also includes a governess, nurse, house servant and cook.
1861 census
The Turner family are still at Trowse Newton at the time of the 1861 census. John and Elizabeth Turner now have 9 children. Sadly, their son Alfred Edward died not long after the last census in 1851. However, the children have been joined by Lucy Adeline who is now 9 and Edward Clifford now 7.
John Turner still employs a nurse, cook and housemaid. He is now farming 615 acres and provides work for 19 men and 9 boys.
Turner Family move to Old Catton
Between 1864 and 1865, John Turner moved his family to Old Catton.
A later 1868 notice relating to an auction of the Old Catton property gives us an idea of the Turner family’s accommodation at that time.
Auction at the Norfolk Hotel Norwich on 29th April 1868:
OLD CATTON
Lot 1 The Family Residence, for many years in the occupation of Captain Long, and lately of John Turner Esq.,
The House contains entrance hall and three staircases, drawing and dining-rooms of large dimensions, morning-room, 7 sleeping and dressing rooms, 4 servants-rooms, water-closet, kitchen, scullery, storeroom, pantries, brew-house, dairy, wine, ale and beer cellars.
A three-stalled stable, 2 carriage-houses, loft over one of them, and rough cart-shed.
A vinery, kitchen and flower gardens and paddock, the whole containing 2A 3R 36P.
The above is deserving the attention of parties requiring a Residence within a short distance of the City, and beyond its rates. It is a good Family House, and the gardens are well planted with trees and shrubs.
John Turner still owned Penhill Farm which he continued to let to a tenant. We can but wonder how often John Turner visited his farm in Great Ellingham. Perhaps rarely, or, not at all.
Move to Cley-next-the-Sea
By 1868, John and Elizabeth Turner are living in Cley-next-the-Sea.
The 1871 census finds 68 year old merchant John Turner with his 52 year old wife Elizabeth at Bishop House, Cley. Three of their children Louisa 22, Lucy 19 and Edward 17 are living with them. The Turners employ a cook and housemaid.
John Turner, born in Old Buckenham on the 27th November, 1802, baptised in the Baptist Church in Great Ellingham, died at his home in Cley-next-the-Sea on the 16th October, 1880.
An obituary was published in the Norfolk News on the 23rd October, 1880:
THE LATE MR. JOHN TURNER - Our obituary of this day contains the name of Mr.John Turner, formerly of Trowse Hall and late of Clery-next-the-Sea, who died at his residence in the latter place on Saturday morning in his 78th year. The deceased, although remarkably unobtrusive, was throughout his lengthened life very decided in his views on all important questions. He was a Nonconformist and a Liberal, and by his steady adherence to his principles through all changes of circumstances has given an example worthy of imitation of the manner in which one may be thoroughly faithful to his own convictions and yet win and preserve the esteem of all around him.
What then happens to the ownership of Penhill Farm in Great Ellingham?
Widow Elizabeth Turner
On the 10th November, 1881, Elizabeth Turner, the widow of the late John Turner of Cley-next-the-Sea, was admitted as a copyhold tenant of the Manor of Attleborough Mortimers. This is in relation to the copyhold land of the Manor which was held by her late husband – and which had come through the ownership of several generations of the Turner family.
It follows that the freehold and other copyhold land as well as Penhill Farm, were also then in the ownership of widow Elizabeth Turner.
The 1881 census captures 62 year old Elizabeth Turner at the home of her 61 year old brother, James Capps, at 69 Bishops Road, Paddington, Middlesex. James Capps is unmarried and a wine merchant. The census confirms that widow Elizabeth Turner’s income is from interest earned on capital.
The death of Elizabeth Turner is announced in the Eastern Evening News of the 30th January 1888:
January 27th at St George's Middle Street, Norwich, Elizabeth, the widow of John Turner Esq., late of Trowse Hall and Cley-next-the-Sea, aged 69.
Next Generation
I do not know for certain whether the ownership of Penhill Farm then passed to John Ellis Turner born Trowse 1844, the son of John (1802-1880) and Elizabeth Turner (nèe Capps).
On the 12th August, 1874, John Ellis Turner (born 1844) married Mary Elizabeth Buck in her home parish of Wiveton, Norfolk.
The 1891 census finds 46 year old John E Turner, a ship broker and agent, living at The Pines, Brixham, Devon. He is with his 38 year old wife Mary and seven children. The household has a general servant and nursemaid.
Sadly, John Ellis Turner died on the 28th July the following year (1892).
It is possible that the farm remained in the ownership of the Turner family until it was purchased by William Hammond before 1920.
Sources:
Manorial court rolls for Lathes, Close, Castle and Buckenham Priory, 1595-1847. Manorial Court rolls for the manors of Close, Insoken and Outsoken, Buckenham Priory and Buckenham Castle 1767-1909. Norfolk Record Office. Ref: MC 1813/32-45 840X6.
Manor of Attleborough Mortimers Manorial Court Rolls 1641-1930 [Mortimers with Members Manor; 1189-1925, Attleborough, Norfolk.] Norfolk Record Office
Copies of the manorial records viewed via www.familysearch.org
Great Ellingham Parish Registers Norfolk Record Office Reference PD/609. Also available at FamilySearch.org https://www.familysearch.org/
Ashwellthorpe Parish Registers. ATs & BTs, Norfolk Record Office PD 53. Viewed via www.ancestry.co.uk
Great Ellingham Baptist Chapel. No.2 Register of Births etc. Also Burials. Thanks to Hugh Collier & the Great Ellingham Baptist Church.
England, Norfolk, Register of Electors, 1832-1915, FamilySearch website
1799 Statement of Claims. Great Ellingham Inclosure. Norfolk Record Office. Catalogue Ref: MC 2213/118
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
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
1841 census HO107/781/2; HO107/783/17; HIO107/778/24; HO107/776/17
1851 census HO107/1818/407
1861 census RG9/1225/54
1871 census RG10/1800/151
1881 census RG11/19/15
1891 census RG12/1708/6
25th August 1810 Norfolk Chronicle
27 January 1840. Patriot
15th July, 1843 Norfolk Chronicle
18th April 1868 Norfolk News
23rd October 1880 Norfolk News; Norwich Argus
30 January 1888. Eastern Evening News
18th June 1926. Diss Express
Newspapers viewed via The British Newspaper Archive
Transcript of Scarning St Peter & St Paul, Monumental Inscriptions 2 1623-1980, recorded by the W.I. Norfolk Family History Society
12 May 1840. London & Surrey England Marriage Bonds & Allegations 1597-1921. John Turner & Elizabeth Capps. Original data: Marriage Bonds and Allegations. London, England: The London Archives. Viewed via www.ancestry.co.uk
13 May 1840. Marriage John Turner & Elizabeth Capps. Saint James, Paddington. London Metropolitan Archives; London, England, UK; London Church of England Parish Registers; Reference Number: P87/JS/022Ancestry.com. London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1941 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.
12 August 1874. Marriage. Wiveton. John Ellis Turner & Mary Elizabeth Buck. Norfolk Record Office; Norwich, Norfolk, England; Norfolk Church of England Registers; Reference: PD 648/7Ancestry.com. Norfolk, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1938 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016. Original data: Church of England Parish Registers. Norfolk Record Office, Norwich, Norfolk, England.
John Ellis Turner. England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills & Administrations) 1858-1995. Principal Probate Registry; London, England; Calendar of the Grants of Probate and Letters of Administration made in the Probate Registries of the High Court of Justice in England. Ancestry.com. England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Original data: Principal Probate Registry. Calendar of the Grants of Probate and Letters of Administration made in the Probate Registries of the High Court of Justice in England. London, England