Grymsdyke

Grymsdyke
Construction Era	1600-1699, 1823 Enclosures Record
Type of Property	House, Farm, Land, Wood
Use of Property	Residential, Business, School
Locations	Lacey Green, Turnip End

Research by Joan West

Grymsdyke House, sometimes called Grymsdyke Lodge, Greames Lodge, sometimes Grymsdyke Estate was the last property at the southern end of Lacey Green

INTRODUCTION

The earliest clue our local history group had was when Dennis Claydon discovered a marriage in 1616 of a couple living in Lacey Green.   It was their great grandson, Edward, who was to become known as The Aspirin Man.    Although born at what must have been a farmhouse, for the village of Lacey Green had not yet been developed, Thomas married well and left the area.   By 1863 the house had been enlarged enough to be called a ‘Mansion’

1823 ENCLOSURES of PRINCES RISBOROUGH

FREEHOLD SCHEDULE for Sarah Shard of LACEY GREEN

1.      708  Greames Lodge.   Farm. House. Gardens. Close (field).  An old property

2.      642   House (Portobello). Garden. Close (field). (site of future Village Hall.An old property

3.      711   Cottage. Garden. Close (field). An old property, opposite  Wimble End, later demolished.

4.      718   Wood called Wood Platt.   Sited in the middle of the farm fields.   An old wood

5.      707  Field.   south & west of Church Lane, later site of the first vicarage on Main Road

6.      709  Field called Pit Croft

7.      710  Field called Clay Furlong

8.      712  Field called Cock’s Close

9.      713  Field called Stoney Wood Field

10.  714  Field called Walders

11.  716  Field called Walders Field

12.  717  Field called High Field

13.  719  Field called Grubbed Ground

14.  720  Field called Roonegars

15.  721  Field called New Close

16.  722  Field called Farther Cobbins

17.  723  Field called Home Cobbins

18.  724  Field called Home Close and Meadow

19.  807  Field called Pightle and Long Close.  Near Turnip End

20.  707   Field between Turnip End, Darvills Hill and Stocken Farm

21.  808a Field between Turnip End, Darvills Hill and Stocken Farm

COPYHOLD SCHEDULE for SARAH SHARD of LACEY GREEN

1.      809   part Field.   Part of Wades Grove.   An old property.

1841 CENSUS

Grymsdyke is occupied by George Meade.   The Meade family were related to the Stone family by marriage

1851 CENSUS

Grymsdyke Lodge.   Sarah Shard, widow, 80, landed proprietor, born Chipping Norton.   Elizabeth Ward, 63, housekeeper, born Chipping Norton.  Elizabeth Greaves, 24, cook, Wingfield.    Emma Hawes 17 housemaid, Princes Risborough.   John Claydon, married, 39, day labourer, Princes Risborough.  

1858    DEATH OF SARAH SHARD

22nd March 1859 Auction Sale. Advertised in The Bucks Herald

At Grymsdyke Lodge, Lacey Green, late the Residence of Mrs. Shard, deceased. On Tuesday March 22nd, 1859, at 10 for 11 o'clock, and the following day if necessary, by direction of Miss Anne Gray, the whole of the HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE, COMPRISING....(Long list of items including a "loo", presumably a commode.)

6th April 1859 Auction Sale. Advertised in The Bucks Herald

By MR. CLARKE. IN CHANCERY. TO BE SOLD, pursuant of the High Court of Chancery, made in a Cause of Ward v. Gray....by Mr. CLARKE, the person appointed by the said Judge, at the White Hart Hotel, in Aylesbury,... On Wednesday, the 6th day of April, 1859, at four o'clock for five o'clock precisely in the afternoon, Certain tithe-free Freehold and copyhold estates, situate at Lacey Green,...late the property of Mrs Sarah Shard, deceased.

LOT 1

All that freehold Mansion, House, or Lodge, with Farm and Home-Stead adjoining containing 143 acres 2 roods 33 poles. The Mansion or Lodge included in this Lot, comprises...8 bedrooms....There are 2 Labourers' Cottages, included also in this lot. This Lot, with the exception of the Mansion, which is now unoccupied, is in the occupation of Mr. Willott.

LOT 2

All those TWO several CLOSES of FREEHOLD and COPYHOLD LAND situate a short distance from Lot 1, and containing together 18 acres 0 roods 15 poles, partly Arable and partly Pasture. Mr Brown is the tenant of this Lot.

LOT 3

All those TWO Freehold Brick, Flint and Tiled COTTAGES and ROOM, formerly used as a SCHOOL-ROOM, with gardens in front, also a PADDOCK of useful OLD TURF adjoining containing together 2 acres,2 roods 15 poles, and being in the several occupations of Messrs. Dell and Floyd as yearly tenants. The land tax on this Lot is 2 shillings and 3 pence. The timber in each Lot will be included in the purchase. The tenants in each Lot are under notice to quit. Particulars and Conditions may be had from...(Long list of places) the Auctioneers, Haddenham, Bucks.

24^TH MARCH 1860    TWO CONVEYANCES by the Executors of Sarah Shard to Charles Brown of Stocken Farm

1.       1 to 5, Portobello Cottages and Portobello Meadow.(Portobello Close and pasture,2 acres, 2 roods, 15 poles

2.       1 and 2, Grymsdyke Cottages and a Schoolroom

17^th NOVEMBER 1863   CONVEYANCE by the Executors of Sarah Shard to W A Thomas

Ann Batson, executor sold to W A Thomas of Kensington, London

1.       The mansion house known as Grymsdyke Lodge and fields belonging

2.       Lane Farm, Church Lane, Lacey Green

3.       Land that would later become Promised Land Farm, sometimes called Prospect Farm.

1871 CENSUS

Major Gen Harry B Lumden.at sea in Bay of Bengal 49 & Fanny 31.

18^th APRIL 1878   CONVEYANCE

William Alexander Thomas sold to John Forrest of Cheltenham for £15,000,  282 acres 2 roods 24 poles

1881 CENSUS

Viscount W M Hopford, 28 b Hanover Sq. London & Catherine25. 2 children

1891 CENSUS

Servants in residence. Julia Badham 52, cook, Martha Hammon 49 & Ellen Cook, housemaids, Charles Jeffs, butler

27th JULY 1891 TRAGEDY at GRYMSDYKE. Three men were killed by lightening at the 1st Cottager's Garden Society Show and Cricket Match in the grounds of Grymsdyke house. For a full report see Inquest

1901 CENSUS

John Forrest 59, born Cape of Good Hope, South Africa and Eveline Forrest 50, born Govan, Scotland

1905   DEATH of EVELINE FORREST

1910    DEATH of JOHN FORREST Click John & Evelyn Forrest for their life histories

1911 CENSUS.    William Harwood 52, caretaker and gardener, born Worcs.    Mary Harwood 50, Mary Harwood 14.

1911  SALE of GRYMSDYKE ESTATE by John Forrest’s Executors   Grymsdyke House had 21 rooms

1915 KELLY’S DIRECTORY.   H. E. Carter, import/export merchant, at Grymsdyke.

NOTE In his research on Church Lane Laurence Rostron commented on the life of Mrs Carter. It is not known if Harold Carter purchased Grymsdyke in the sale in 1911 following the death of John Forrest, but at the very least he must have been living there by 1914 when Kelly’s were preparing their 1915 Directory for printing. After the death of Harold Carter on 21st June 1941 the Grymsdyke estate was to be put up for sale.   Whether it was sold or whether the RAF requisitioned it is not known, but Mrs Carter moved away during 1942 and the house became the Officers Mess for Bomber Command throughout the WW2.

POST WW2

After war Mr & Mrs Geoffrey Bateman, purchased Grymsdyke. He was later knighted for his work as an ear, nose & throat consultant at St. Thomas's Hospital. L

Passed down to their son Robert Bateman & his wife ‘Paddy’ Bateman.

Several owners were to follow. Two were diamond merchants who divided the house into two. The Bleumenthal family were there circa 1970's, young Heston attending the village school.

Circa 1995 Grymsdyke was advertised for sale, the estate agents fancifully calling it 'Grymsdyke Manor', and stating that towards the latter part of the 19th century the house underwent a series of dramatic and substantial alterations in the Victorian gothic style of architecture. This provided the property with turrets, arched sash windows and a superb 'long room' that incorporates eight gothic style sash windows to two elevations. all this combines interestingly with the more traditional 'Chiltern' style of craftmanship with flint work, brick and rendered elevations under a mainly pitch tiled roof.