2 Walnut Tree Cottage, Naphill

At some point before 1796 a piece of land was divided off from Naphill Common. It had belonged to William Parkins, then Thomas Mason, then Edmund Theed, then in 1796 to Henry Hussey.

This piece of land will be referred to as the 'Main Piece'

16 March 1796. Conveyance. Edmund Theed of the parish of Hughenden (private in the Buckinghamshire Militia), and James Eldridge of Edington, Oxfordshire, heir of Francis Eldridge, labourer, late of Naphill Common conveyed the Main Piece to Henry Hussey. Edmund Theed continued as mortgagee.

-1799. The 1st Cottage is Built on a small portion of land that was divided off in the south of the Main Piece. This small portion of land will be referred to as the 'Small Piece'. .This was agreed between Edmund Theed, mortgagee, and Henry Hussey of Main Piece.

Small Piece now contained a cottage which will be referred to as the '1st cottage'. It had been built by John West for William Hussey, the son of Henry Hussey.

25 March 1801. Indenture of Settlement made between William Hussey, Henry Hussey (the father of William Hussey), and John West of Naphill Common, farmer (father of the wife of William Hussey), and Henry Hussey of 1 part and Samuel Joynson (the mortgagee) of West Wycombe, lace buyer, of the other part - This mortgage document witnessed that Samuel Joynson, mortgagee, paid £30 to William Hussey and 5 shillings apiece to Henry Hussey and John West, who for the natural love and affection which they, Henry Hussey and John West, bore towards their son and daughter, they, Henry Hussey, William Hussey and John West did give and to farm let all that Small Piece, now divided off from the Main Piece of land.

15 November 1815. Conveyance to Extend Mortgage. In1815 the mortgage of 1801 was still not paid off, but all interest had been paid. Now a further sum of £30 was paid to William Hussey by Samuel Joynson, mortgagee. Samuel Joynson died in May 1816. His wife had already died. Thomas Joynson, his son (now the mortgagee) proved the will.

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The following documents dated 1821 and 1838 give land measurements and comments on extra land

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6 November 1821. Conveyance. Thomas Joynson (mortgagee) of West Wycombe, lace merchant, William Hussey of Naphill Common, labourer and, Henry Hussey of Naphill Common, victualler, sold to James Lee of Naphill Common, sawyer, the Small Piece with the 1st cottage and also a small piece of land of the width 10 feet from the wall of the cottage and the length of 60 feet as is now or immediately intended to be staked off and to used as a garden by the recipient. It is the northern boundary of the property and is part of the land adjoining the cottage now to be sold which is now planted with trees and used as a garden by William Hussey. The last described piece of land contains about half an acre.

3 January 1838. Document. James Lee the Elder of West Wycombe, yeoman, leased to James Lee the Younger of West Wycombe, sawyer and Henry Lee of West Wycombe, sawyer, for 1 year, paying 5 shillings, (as deposit) for -- all that piece of orchard and garden ground at Naphill Common containing 20 poles and on part of which James Lee the Younger and Henry Lee have lately erected a 2nd cottage. This is now in the tenure of James Lacey and is bounded on the north by a property in the occupation of Thomas Hodgkins. On the south partly by an orchard and garden belonging to James Lee the Elder and partly by Naphill Common, on east and west by a meadow belonging to Mrs Jane Ives

4 January 1838. Document of lease. James Lee the Elder of West Wycombe, yeoman leased (as deposit) for £10 the piece of orchard and garden and the 2nd cottage for the use of James Lee the Younger of West Wycombe, sawyer, and Henry Lee of West Wycombe, sawyer, to hold as tenants in common (not joint tenants)

James Lee the Elder died 1 January 1858. Hannah Lee his wife had died 16 January 1856.

24 December 1858. Conveyance by Auction. The executors of James Lee put up for sale by auction in 3 lots, the estate of James Lee, inherited by Thomas Lee, 5 November last at The Beach Boy Inn, High Wycombe. Mary Hargreaves of High Wycombe was declared the highest bidder for lot 3, for £150 comprising the properties, but since the sale it was arranged and agreed that Thomas Lee would be the purchaser for £150.

25 March 1870. Conveyance of a part of orchard and garden with a cottage at Naphill Common.

Henry Lee of Maidenhead, timber dealer, formerly of West Wycombe, sold for £50 to James Lee the Younger, formerly of West Wycombe, sawyer, now of the parish of Hughenden, farmer, his half part of the piece of land, (formerly an orchard and garden at Naphill Common, being part of an estate purchased by James Lee the Elder from Henry Hussey containing 20 poles). And also the cottage since erected by James Lee and Henry Lee, (Their tenants were first James Lacey, but now Isaac Kempster.) Bounded on the north by a cottage formerly in the occupation of Thomas Hodgkins, now of John Bristow, on the south partly by an orchard formerly belonging to James Lee the Elder, but now by James Lee the Younger, partly by Naphill Common on the east and on the west by a meadow formerly belonging to Mrs James Ives. (also of and in all that allotment of ground in respect of the premises under the Hughenden enclosure.)

1 December 1888. James Lee the Younger died. He had for many years previous to his decease owned the properties bequeathed in his will. In his will dated 30 September 1887 James Lee, now of Hughenden, farmer, described his properties as "All his 3 cottages adjoining each other at Naphill Common with the gardens and land belonging or adjoining thereto, to his son, Benjamin Nelson Lee absolutely.

Note. In a document of 1895 Walnut Cottages have been given names

29 October 1895. Conveyance of Mortgage. on all 3 Walnut Cottages, then in the occupation of Gibbons, Evans and Shrimpton.

Benjamin Nelson Lee was paid £300 by C H Elsom the new mortgagee The mortgage was for £300 @ 5% per annum. The insurance and Imperial Fire Insurance £300 in the name of C H Elsom.

27 May 1904. Transfer of Mortgage. George Gibson of Manor Farm, Hughenden, farmer and Edward James Montague of Widmer End Farm, Hughenden, farmer paid H Elson £300 in equal shares and became the new mortgagees of all 3 Walnut Cottages.

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1911 Census The occupants of the Mission House and Walnut Cottages were as follows :-

The Mission House. 8 rooms. Leonard Hooper 66 aerated waters (maker), Frances A Hooper 62, L Percy Hooper 32 aerated waters assistant, H Winifred Hooper 28 private governess.

No 1 Walnut Tree Cottage. 4 rooms. John Campbell 53 gardener, born in Scotland. Dosine Vasseur Campbbell 60, born in France.

No 2 Walnut Tree Cottage. 4 rooms. William Shrimpton 54 general blacksmith. Hetty Shrimpton 55. Ernest 23 wheelwright, Joseph 16 baker, Doris 14 dressmaker.

No 3 Walnut Tree Cottage. 4 rooms. Alfred Albert Saw 60 retired farmer. Eliza Saw 65. George Edward Saw 19 Tennis bat making.

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9 November 1925. Conveyance of all 3 Walnut Cottages. Benjamin Nelson Lee sold to Mary Gibson, wife of George Gibson of Manor Farm, Hughenden, farmer, for £400. The mortgagees are now George Gibson and E J Montague. The mortgage was for £300, for 'all 3 cottages adjoining each other with all appurtenances on Naphill Common'. bounded on 2 sides by High Roads from High Wycombe to Lacey Green In the rear by land now or late the property of Miss West and others.

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1939 Register (census) The occupants of the Mission House and Walnut Cottages were as follows :-

No 1 Walnut Tree Cottage. Albert G Anderson 47 builders handyman. Doris A Anderson 47

No 2 Walnut Tree Cottage. William Shrimpton 83 retired blacksmith, Hetty Shrimpton 84

No 3 Walnut Tree Cottage. Frederick Beale 47 gardener.

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23 January 1951. Mary Ann Gibson died.

Note (Address of no 1 Walnut Tree Cottage is now given as 105 Main Road. Naphill.)

22 October 1951 Conveyance. The executors of Mary Ann Gibson sold to Arthur Harold Curtis and Mary Elizabeth Florence Curtis for £200, all that piece of land at Naphill with the house erected thereon, or on part there of known as 105 Main Road, Naphill, known as No 1 Walnut Tree Cottage, including a right of way over the adjoining property known as No 2 Walnut Tree Cottage for the purpose of drawing water from the well thereon. Delignated on the plan coloured pink.

22 March 1963. Conveyance. Arthur Harold and Mary Elizabeth Curtis conveyed to the County Council a piece of land an area of 95 square yards, being part of the property described in the conveyance dated 22 October1951.

18 October 1984. Agreement. Arthur Harold and Mary Elizabeth Curtis of 105 Main Road, Naphill agreed an option to sell to J T Emanuel Ltd, the property marked red on the plan.

Details of the option :-

1 For £50 the purchaser shall have the option of purchasing the freehold property shown in red on the plan for the price of £22,500.

2 The option shall be exercisable by notice in writing within 6 months. If the option is exercisable the vendor shall sell the property to the purchaser free from all encumbrances.

3 Should planning consent be refused within the option period it is agreed that for a further £50 the option shall be extended for a further 6 months to allow time for an appeal.

4 Upon exercise of the option the purchaser shall pay a 10% deposit of the purchase price.

5 The date of completion shall be 28 days from the exercise of the option.

6 To erect with 3 months a fence.

17 May 1985. Conveyance. Arthur Harold and Mary Elizabeth Florence Curtis sold No 1 Walnut Tree Cottage to J T Emanuel Ltd of Bourne End for £19,000, including a right of way over the adjoining property known as No 2 Walnut Tree Cottage for the purpose of drawing water from the well thereon.

8 August 1990. Transfer. Arthur Harold Curtis, formerly of 105 Main Road, Naphill, now of Chorley, Bucks transferred to Robert and Sally Ann Slade of Holtsper the land, house and garage known as 105 Main Road, subject to rights of drainage in the conveyance stated in the conveyance of 1985

1963

24 May 2000. Land Registry Document. 21 August 1990. The freehold land being 105 Main Road, Naphill is subject to the following rights granted by conveyance of the land adjoining to the north, dated 17 May 1985 between Arthur Harold Curtis and Mary Elizabeth Florence Curtis (vendors) and J T Emanuel Ltd, purchasers.

The right to lay a drain and the purchaser to be responsible for the drain and half the cost of maintenance of the manhole and the drain to where it connects with the sewer.

5 April 2011. Declaration. In future 105 Main Road, Naphill, will be held by Robert Simon Slade and Sally Ann Slade as tenants in common in equal shares.