Kiln Farm

click Business for other businesses

click Farms for a list of other local farms

click Farming pre 1823 for this era

click Malmsmead for more details recounted by Denis Claydon in his booklet 'Tarmac and Beyond'

click to enlarge. copy of the first map.

Research by Joan West

From the 1600's Kiln Farm was established just off the vast Common of Princes Risborough which covered much of Lacey Green and some land on the hilltop of Loosley Row. In the Loosley Row part was Windmill Farm with it's windmill, which was the only major property on the common. There were four tiny cottages facing onto Lily Bottom Lane to the far east of the common. Click Princes Risborough Common to see two maps. The first map shows the full area of Princes Risborough Common. The second map shows the changes made in 1823 when the Enclosures of Princes Risborough took place.

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KILN FARM WAS owned by the Lord of the Manor both before and after the Enclosures of 1823. There was an access to it which later became Kiln Lane. Lacey Green.

THE HOUSE Starting as Kiln Farmhouse, the house was later called Lavender Cottage, then in 1942 "Malmsmead".

BRICKMAKING The tenants of Kiln farm had a brickmaking business.   The tenants' name was Floyd.

THE TENANT IN LATE 1600’s. John Floyd, brickmaker, died in 1703, He left his estate to his son Joseph Floyd.   (research note. Joseph would have had to apply to the manor court to be accepted as tenant)

NEW TENANT IN 1758. Joseph Floyd, brickmaker, died 1758.   His son William became the next tenant.   In his will of 1845 Joseph had left his estate first to his wife, Ellinor, then to go to his son.  (research note. Ellinor died before 1758, so went straight to William.)

ACCOUNTS 1764 an entry from the Hampden Estate Accounts states “William Floyd”, for supplying bricks for Green Hailey Farm, 14 shillings, nine pence (74p)

1772 “William Floyd for supplying 750 bricks and 20 bushels of lime to the farm in Hampden Row, £1-1s-10d (£1-10p).”  (Research note. He was kept waiting 8 months before he was paid, which was usual.)

NEXT TENANT IN 1801. William Floyd the elder, brickmaker died July 1801. in his will dated 9^th May 1801, proved 4^th July 1801, appointed his son WILLIAM FLOYD & Son-in law FRANCIS STONE his executors.  His estate to be used for his three grandchildren, Joseph, Elizabeth and John, the children of his dead son John

WILLIAM’S WIDOW continued to run the brick kiln with son WILLIAM FLOYD the Younger, kilnman, died October 1821.

No record of brickmaking has been found since 1821.

In 1831 census two other families were living there,  the men being labourers.

The next tenant was Charles Webster, farmer.

In 1841 John Grubb was bankrupt and his vast estate was put up for sale.   The day before the auction all lots were purchased privately by the Duke of Buckingham and Chandos.

1^st June 1848.   The estate of the Duke of Buckingham and Chandos was also bankrupt and it was again put up for auction

Lot 11, KILN FARM.   86 acres, 1 rood, 31 perches, was purchased by John Cheshire This land stretched as far to the north as Windmill Farm. (Research note. John Cheshire, was a miller, he moved into Windmill Farm when the current tenant John Steel's lease expired.) See John & Ann Cheshire

The tenant of Kiln Farm at that time was Charles Webster.    In the 1851 census Charles Webster is listed as 31 years old, farmer of 86 acres. Employing 3 labourers.

MORTGAGES OF JOHN CHESHIRE

The area that John Cheshire hade purchased in 1848, was the whole area that John Grubb had purchased at the enclosures in 1823.   It consisted of almost half the old common of Princes Risborough and included the windmill and Windmill Farm, stretching southwards as far as and including Kiln Farm in what would later be Kiln Lane.   There were no other properties on it. He really only needed Windmill Farm, for he was a miller. He was to be constantly saddled with mortgages.

1856.  MORTGAGE WITH ARABELLA GOODALL

In 1856, John Cheshire took out a mortgage with Arabella Goodall, spinster for £900, interest @ 4.5% p.a. for 5 years

MORTGAGE WITH WILLIAM WOODS OF BEDFORD

A further mortgage with William Woods of Bedford £200 + int.

1856 Purchase of Kiln Farm from William Woods (mortgagee) by Joshua Dell

SCHEDULE

All that close of arable land situated at Lacey Green, adjoining the close on the east side, known by the name of “Road Ground”, 15 acres- 1 rood-23 poles.   Lately part of a certain farm called “Kiln Farm”, which was then in the occupation of Charles Webster, after William Floyd and which close was in the occupation of John Cheshire.

And all that land comprised part of a certain allotment purchased by John Grubb Esq. of the Common for inclosing the parish of Princes Risborough, 1823, no.636 on the inclosures map, apart from that part which was conveyed to the Chapel (Chapel of Ease of Princes Risborough built at Lacey Green)  (Glebe land).

Kiln Farm land became mortgaged to Frances Josephine Irving, including all the land on which the windmill stood on down the Lacey Green road to include land later sold to John Saunders, George Hawes, Thomas Owen Stone and behind those properties to William Saunders.(land running up to the Glebe Land, conveyed to the new church by John Grubb.

JANUARY 25^th 1861 MORTGAGE OF ARABELLA GOODALL TO FRANCES JOSEPHINE IRVING

The executors of Arabella Goodall conveyed the mortgage of £900 to Frances Josephine Irving.

SCHEDULE

All that piece of land at Lacey Green called “The Hillock” with the dwelling erected thereon.

JULY 14^th 1861. FRANCIS JOSEPHINE IRVING TO JOHN CHESHIRE

Frances Josephine Irving advanced to John Cheshire another £900 to enable him to pay off his mortgage with William Woods

MAY 18^th 1875   PART PAYMENT OFF MORTGAGE

John Cheshire paid £500 off his £1,800 mortgage.

WILLIAM WOODS, MORGAGEE, SOLD TO JOSHUA DELL

1856.   Kiln Farm sold to Joshua Dell (born 1801)

MARCH 8^th 1856.  PART LAND OF KILN FARM SOLD.   William Woods to Jesse Ward

.William Woods sold to Jesse Ward of Loosley Row, carpenter, for £81, the close of pasture land known as “Pond Piece”, 2 acres, 3 roods, part of Kiln Farm, Lacey Green, late in the occupation of William Floyd, now of Charles Webster.    Part of an allotment made to John Grubb in 1823, subject to a “Right of Way” for Joshua Dell, Richard Gibbs and William Woods. (Ed. Right of way later became Kiln Lane).

EDITOR’S COMMENT

“Pond Piece” lay to the west side of Kiln Lane.   Stretching from the Main Road as far as “White Washing Public Pond

KILN FARM LAND MUCH REDUCED IN SIZE

By 1877 Kiln Farm is shown on the map, much reduced from its original size.  The mortgagees of John Cheshire have sold most of it off.

JABEZ AND PETER CLAYDON  

Now owned by Jabez and Peter Claydon.   Consisting of Kiln Farmhouse, and land on the east side of Kiln Lane, as far as the point where the public footpath from Speen crosses the lane.

FARMHOUSE OCCUPANTS

Circa 1900.   William and Lily Ruth Claydon lived in Kiln Farmhouse.

In the 1939 Register (census) the occupants of the farmhouse, now called 'Lavender Cottage', were registered as Arnold S Clark born 1893, director Plate Glass Co and Chairman Builders Merchant Co., and Bettie E Clark, his wife born 1906. 2 absent WW2. Miriam Halliday b 1876 Luia F E Halliday born 1912. Ada Joyce born 1885, single. Hilda E Weaver born 1875 single, incapacitated.

KILN BARN COTTAGES OCCUPANTS

in the 1939 Register (census) the occupants are registered as :-

No 1. Harry C Claydon born 1912, provisions and grocers assistant and roundsman and his wife Barbara N Claydon born 1915.

No 2. Lily R Claydon, widow, born 1875. George L Claydon born 1915, single, gardener. Charlie A J Claydon born 1917 single, assistant bread baker and roundsman.

No 3. Albert Hawes Claydon born 1913 chairmaker and Lilian Evelyn, nee Ward (Their 3 children were born here.   The family emigrated to Canada.)

LEASE of the OLD KILN FARM HOUSE to GEORGE SMITHSON, BURGLAR

Early in 1913 George Smithson ‘Gentleman George’ and his friend ‘Sikes’, freshly out of Borstal, both 21, rented a quiet little house in Lacey Green from which to set up a business as burglars, posing as American medical students. They paid three months’ rent in advance of kept on the old gardener and housekeeper.

THE FOLLOWING DESCRIPTION IS FROM GEORGE SMITHSON’S AUTOBIOGRAPHY “RAFFLES IN REAL LIFE”

“The house itself was an old-fashioned little affair standing in a few acres of its own grounds and well away from the beaten track.  Let the reader visualize a stone-paved study and parlour, one of those great open fireplaces and ingle-nooks supported by ancient oak beams. It was picturesque, low ceilinged, but very draughty. Everything about the place reeked of times gone by. It had a serving-maid’s kitchen over the top of a deep well with a pump in the corner, a dark little buttery, a narrow winding staircase leading to half a dozen quaint little bedrooms, and half panelled walls dating back to the seventeenth century.  But is suited us very well. Here we were at last in a place of our own where we could sit down quietly at night and work out our schemes for the future, unseen, unheard, unmolested, with only a dimly burning oil lamp by way of illumination”                              

P.S.

Ed.   They caught the train to London from Saunderton Station.   When arrested at the end of May 1913 they were charged with burglary of mansions in 17 counties.   The police ‘discoveries’ at their headquarters in Lacey Green was reported in the newspaper.

DR CHARLES HERBERT FAGGE SOLD TO MARTIN ROBERT DE SELINCOURT

July 21^st 1923.   Conveyance.   Martin Robert de Selincourt purchased from DR Charles Herbert Fagge.

ARNOLD STAFFORD CLARK SOLD TO THE MISSES HELEN MAY AND KATHLEEN SAMPSON

November 26^th  1942.   Conveyance.  Arnold Stafford Clark, formerly of Hedgehope, 85 Mount Nod Road, Streatham,London, now of Lavender Cottage, Lacey Green, sold to Miss Helen May Sampson of Harrow, and Miss Kathleen Sampson of Tynyglog, Brynmor Road. Aberystwith, university lecturer in botany for £2,250, joint tenants.

“LAVENDER COTTAGE” CHANGED TO “MALMSMEAD”   Freehold cottage, known as Lavender Cottage, henceforth to be known as Malmsmead, fronting onto Kiln Lane, with other outbuildings near thereto and garden with meadow of 2 acres, 34 poles.

FEBRUARY 21st 1980.   Death of Miss K. Sampson.    Miss H.M. Sampson had predeceased her.

EXECUTORS OF MISS KAY SAMPSON SOLD TO MICHAEL AND CANDY PIERCY

January 7^th 1981.   Sale by auction.   Conveyances: -

Lot 1.  Malmsmead Cottage, garden and part meadow, to Michael and Candy Piercy.   The meadow tenanted by R.M. West and Son.               Lot 2.   Part of meadow, to John Richard West and Joan West, his wife, of Stocken Farm, for £6,600 as joint tenants.          

Kiln Farm
Construction Era	1600-1699, 1823 Enclosures Record
Type of Property	House, Farm, Land
Use of Property	Residential, Business
Locations	Lacey Green