Walters Ash Farm

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click Farming pre 1823 for this era

Research by Joan West from census, parish registers and business documents of the business, lent by Jill Bristow, one of Thomas Bristow's grandchildren

Walters Ash Farm
Construction Era	1600-1699, 1823 Enclosures Record
Type of Property	House, Farm, Land
Use of Property	Residential, Business
Locations	Walters Ash

RICHARD JANES born 1656 - 1707 married Anne Clark at Princes Risborough.

In his WILL Richard left :-

To son Martin, 3 closes of arable land, (7 acres) called White Pieces in Walters Ash, also wood of 1 acre adjacent.  To son Jacob £100, to daughter Elizabeth £30.  The residue to Martin

MARTIN JANES born 1678 - 1757 married Mary Gadbury 1682 1764

In his WILL Martin Janes, yeoman, left :-

To wife Mary, freehold messuage wherein we dwell.   All meadow and arable land thereto, and all goods for her life.  Then to son Richard.  To son James £100 and to daughter Mary Stone £120 after Mary’s death.

RICHARD JANES married c1751 to Sarah ?

MARTIN JANES born 1761, inherited Walters Ash Farm.  He had the farm both before and after the enclosures of 1823.   Only 16 acres of it were in Lacey Green, the majority being in Walters Ash (the parish boundary between Princes Risborough and Hughenden runs through it.)

1841 CENSUS Martin Janes, 80, farmer with his wife Mary,60, and son James Janes, also farmer.

1851 CENSUS Mary Janes widow 70, James Janes 49, son and John Wootton, 60 single, farmer of 35 acres.

1861 CENSUS John Wooton, 70, born Dinton, Sarah his wife 56, with him was John Janes,59, his brother-in-law and Mary Nash 4, stepdaughter.

1871 CENSUS Thomas & Hannah Anderson. Thomas 43, farmer of 9 acres

1881 CENSUS Thomas & Hannah Anderson.  Thomas 53, farmer 40 acres,2 labs

1891 CENSUS Thomas Anderson, farmer, 61, born Princes Risborough.

1896. THOMAS BRISTOW PURCHASES See 1899 Stone Cutting at Walters Ash

In 1896, Thomas Bristow, then living at Darvills Hill, a stone merchant selling stone from Denner Hill and realizing that suitable stone was getting more difficult to find, decided to start a brickworks and purchased Walters Ash Farm, the land there being good brickmaking clay.   In digging for clay the land was found to contain the same stones as those at Denner Hill.   Still calling it "Denner Hill Stone", for that name was widely famous, his stone working business was started, trading as T Bristow & Bros, not only making setts but also many other commodities with the stone.   He also established his brickworks there.

LOCAL EMPLOYMENT

The Brickworks and Stone works provided work for a number of local men. In the 1939 census Archibald Ernest Lacey is recorded as being a brick kiln setter there.

FARM TENANT  1901 CENSUS John & Julia Smith (nee Anderson) lived Walters Ash Farm.   John went on to found J. Smith & Sons, road contractors. Walters Ash.

1911 CENSUS FARM TENANT Albert George Rolfe, 34, farmer, born Aston Clinton.

1911 CENSUS “DONNEYBROOK”,WALTERS ASH FARM Thomas Bristow 55,born at Denner Hill, brick manufacturer and stone merchant.

DEATH of THOMAS. Thomas died at Walters Ash in 1927 at “Donnybrook”, Walters Ash Farm.

3^rd MAY 1940                         CONVEYANCE

Compulsory purchase of land for Bomber Command, site 4. the future sports field. It was part of Walters Ash Farm but was in the parish of Walters Ash, not Lacey Green.

FARM TENANT to 1951 The farm was let to Albert George Rolfe till he died 1951

FARM TENANT 1951 Fred Turner was the farm tenant from 1951 until 1958, when he bought Promised Land Farm in Lacey Green.

1958 OWNERS

In 1958 WALTERS ASH FARM OWNED by Messrs BRISTOW BROS, The Bristow Brothers were Dudley Frank Bristow, born 1895 and Archibald Charles Bristow, born 1897.  ( Frank was known as “Dick” and Archibald as ”Ben”, although the family called him “Co”.  They were brick makers and stone merchants.   They had built a house called “Donnybrook” to the east of the farmhouse which stood by the farm entrance.

1958 NEW FARM TENANT

In 1958 R.M.West & Son of Stocken Farm took over the farm tenancy.   This was for the land and buildings only. It did not include the farmhouse. It is still ongoing in 2021