Kingswood Farm

KINGS WOOD was part of the Parish Woodlands of the Manor of Princes Risborough. The people were allowed to go there to pick up fallen wood. It was part of an area of woodland comprising HIGH WOOD, KINGS WOOD, ABBOTTS WOOD and SPEEN WOOD, all lying to the north of the track called Highwood Bottom or Speen Bottom.

In the Enclosures of Princes Risborough of 1823 all the parish woodlands went into private ownership, they were not allotted out but sold, the purchaser being John Grubb Esq. the Lord of the Manor.

In 1841 John Grubb's huge estate was sold, including the woods. It was all purchased privately the day before the auction, by Lord Buckingham and Chandos, who became bankrupt in 1848 and it was again put up for auction.

1848 LOT 13 of that auction. KINGS WOOD, SPEEN WOOD and ABBOTTS HILL WOOD.

The above woods containing together 273 acres, 2 roods 7 perches, all in hand (not let) and 1 cottage & several parcels of meadow and garden ground let to Parslow, Turner, Dell and others.

All the woodlands were subject to Tithes which were commuted in the 1850's and had to be registered. By this date the number of owners had increased, for woodland was valuable both to let or as timber and land once cleared.

Kingswood Farm, Highwood Bottom (or Speen Bottom) was land cleared out of Kings Wood, part of the Parish Woodlands of the Manor of Princes Risborough

Pre 6th Jan 1877 owned the land and buildings known as Kingswood Farm..

6th Jan 1877 CONVEYANCE Thomas Roger Parsons of Whiteleaf, gent, brewer, the vendor. and William Simmons Witney of Redland End, timber dealer and farmer, the purchaser. All the land and buildings known as Kingswood Farm, Speen, Lacey Green. Mr Witney agrees to take all live and dead stock and fixtures, being horse going gear, chaff cutter and fixtures on valuation. Sold together likewise with Speen Kiln Farm, (later Red House Farm), Speen

1 RESEARCH NOTES

When Roger Parsons sold Speen Kiln Farm & Kingswood Farm in 1877 only buildings and land are mentioned for Kingswood - NO House.

In 1823 Highwood Bottom was the route from High Wycombe through Speen to Princes Risborough, with NO houses.

By 1857 when properties were registered by the owners for tithes there were a number of small holdings. The families of these plots built houses and became established in the valley, all north of but near the track (road) at the bottom.

Highwood Bottom is not listed in the 1841, 1851 1861 or 1871 census's. In 1881 a James Bowler aged 42 is listed, an agricultural labourer

In 1891 Census 3 Households of Lovetts the heads are John 26, William 64, Benjamin 66 all agricultural labourers.

1901 is the first time KINGSWOOD FARM is listed. Lived in by William Charge, 59, a cattle man on farm- NOT farmer.

In 1871 Kingswood Farm and Speen Kiln Farm were owned by Thomas Roger Parsons whose farm bailiff was Samuel Charge.

It is quite possible that the two farms were run together, keeping on the farm bailiff. Certainly the sale in 1877 was for both, with all live and deadstock listed together. Also possible that the cattleman living there (William Charge) was connected to Samuel Charge.

1991 census. This is the first time a HOUSE has been mentioned in a census.

13th July 1903 CONVEYANCE. Thomas Parsons Esq.of Princes Risborough had lately agreed to sell Kings Wood Farm to George Cowdray Welch of High Wycombe, draper, for £675. George Cowdray Welch now agreed to sell Kings Wood Farm to George Hawes of Lacey Green, chairmaker, for £700. All that Farm House,buildings, lands & hereditaments at Speen, also the tithes or tenths of the same. The schedule of lands comprised-----

Ord no (1899 edition) Description Acres 361 House, garden,yard & entrance 0.747

360 Paddock in front of house 1.200

373 Field west of house 21.796

372 Field east of house 27.636 TOTAL 51.379 acres

2. RESEARCH NOTE Joan West reporting conversation with Harry Hawes, the son of George Hawes. "Harry was born at Kingswood Farm. George and his wife Annie had been living at Woodbyne Farm. He had built the house there when they got married in 1896. Kingswood Farm was much bigger than Woodbyne, 51 acres as apposed to 1 acre. He bought that in 1903 and they moved there for a year or two. Harry was the youngest of 8 children. Finding it inconvenient for Lacey Green School they moved back to Woodbyne Farm in Lacey Green. George continued to farm Kingswood Farm until 1936, when he sold it to Randolph John Wood (a new farmer of Red House Farm, previously known as Speen Kiln Farm). Kingswood land was extremely flinty but that nearer Highwood Bottom would have been more fertile than at Lacey Green. George went there daily and while there milked his cow carrying the buckets of milk home on a yoke".

3. RESEARCH NOTE. Trudy Saunders, daughter-in-law of William John Saunders and Florence, nee Smith, said that they spent a weeks honeymoon at Kingswood Farmhouse in 1920, at that time owned but not lived in by George Hawes. It is not surprising that there is a connection there as William Saunders was born in the house next door to Woodbyne Farm, Lacey Green, where George Hawes lived at the time.

6th Oct 1936 CONVEYANCE George Hawes of Woodbine or Woodbyne Farm, Lacey Green, farmer, sold Kingswood Farm, Speen to Randoph John Wood of Red House Farm, Speen, farmer. for £650. All that farm house, outbuildings, lands and hereditaments, Speen, was in the parish of Princes Risborough now Lacey Green. known as Kingswood Farm. The schedule of land comprised----51.379 acres as at conveyance of 13th July 1903.

TENANCY AGREEMENT inserted in this history having been found later.

22nd June 1937 between Randolf John Wood of Red House Farm Speen, the landlord and Arthur George Drayson of Hayes, Mddx, the tenant for part of Kinswood Farm comprising 10 acres of land. This is identical to the Tenancy Agreement of 7th Oct 1938, except there is no surety needed and the rent is £35 per annum, to be paid in advance in monthly instalments.

7th Oct. 1938 TENANCY AGREEMENT between Randolf John Wood of Red House Farm, Speen, Lacey Green, farmer (the landlord) and Eric George Drayson of "Newstead",Chalfont St Peter, meat inspector (the tenant) and Laurence Burke of Hayes, Mddx, deputy chief sanitary inspector (the surety). All that parcel of land, part of Kingswood Farm, comprising 10 acres, (ord.no.1921 edition) 361, 0.882 acres, 373e, 5.772 acres, 373b 2,871 acres, together with the Farm Cottage and farm buildings erected thereon, being part of Kingswood Farm,Speen, together with the Right of Way in common with the landlord & others over the entrance track and through the rickyard at the rear of the buildings. Also reserving unto the landlord all minerals, stones, gravel, trees and underwoods.

The agreement stated- "The tenancy shall start on 8th Oct.1938 for 363 days. If continued further should the landlord desire to resume occupation before 7 years he shall give one years notice to quit of 29th Sept. of any year.before 1946 without being liable for compensation for disturbance.

The rent shall be £32.2.0 p.a; payable in advance by fortnightly instalments of £1-7s-6d.

The tenant agreed to 1, Pay the rent on time; 2. Keep the premises in good repair,(after first being put in repair by the Landlord); 3. To keep fences in repair to keep stock in: 4. Not to let the premises or use as a market garden; 5. To farm the premises as a Pig and Poultry Farm, not to convert to tillage and not to mow the land twice in one year or two years in succession; 6. To keep the hedges brushed and trimmed and to lay those as need to be done at the proper season of the year; 7. To keep the ditches clean and free from obstruction, 8. To destroy rabbits, moles, and other vermin, to level mole-hills, to prevent docks, thistles, nettles and other noxious weeds from running to seed and preserve from injury all trees and underwood.

4.NOTE ADDED on edge of document. In the event of war being declared or breaking out the tenant agrees that the landlord mat at any time thereafter resume occupation of such of the farm buildings as he may require, writing abatement of rent.

Note The tenancy continued during WW2 but with a reduced acreage from 10 to 2 and half acres and less the buildings.,

31st Oct 1939 TENANCY AGREEMENT between Randolf John Wood of Red House Farm Speen, Lacey Green, farmer & Eric George Drayson of Kingswood Farm, meat inspector, for 3 & half acres, part of Kingswood Farm, Speen. comprising the farm cottage including use of entrance track & two adjoining pieces of land to the west of the cottage next to the lane of Highwood Bottom, but no buildings. The tenant agrees to the 8 conditions in the tenancy agreement of 7th Oct 1938. The rent to be £1-4s-0d in advance every 2 weeks.

31st Oct 1940 & 31st Oct 1941 TENANCY AGREEMENTS ( the second using the first document by altering the dates - saving paper?) between Randolf John Wood of Red House Farm, Speen, Lacey Green, farmer & Eric George Drayson, meat inspector. for part Kingswood Farm, Speen. for 2 parcels of land of 3 & half acres comprising Ord,no.(1921 ed) part 361 part 373e & part 373b, as in tenancy agreement of 31 Oct 1939.The rent still £1-4s. The tenant agreed to the 8 conditions as in the tenancy agreement of 7th October 1938

17th June 1942. CONVEYANCE Randolph John Wood of Red House Farm, Speen, farmer sold to Arthur John Drayson of Kingswood Farm, Speen, farmer for £1000, Kingswood Farm. All that farm house, outbuildings, land & hereditaments Situate in Speen, formerly in the parish of Princes Risborough but now of Lacey Green. The schedule of 51.379 acres as given below.

28th March 1951. Arthur John Drayson sold Kingswood Farm to Denys Charles Tuckett of Burr Cottage, Horsell, Woking for £4,450. Comprising - All that farmhouse, Speen, formerly in the parish of Princes Risborough, now of Lacey Green.

Schedule

Ord No, 1921 edition Description Acreage

361 House, garden, yard, & entrance 0.882

360 Paddock in front of the house 1.065

372b Field east of the house 2.329

372c ditto 6.034

372 ditto 12.732

372a ditto 6.541

373b Field west of house 2.871

373e ditto 5.772

373a ditto 6.315

373 ditto 6.838 TOTAL 51.379 acres

1st Oct. 1956 CONVEYANCE Denys Charles Tuckett of Kingswood Farm, Lacey Green, farmer sold Kingswood Farm to Frank Malcolm Allen-Armitage of Chadwell Farm, Stoke Hammond, farmer for £5,000. All that farmhouse, outbuildings, lands & hereditaments. The schedule of land as that of 1942. 17th Oct 1963 CONVEYANCE Frank Malcolm Allen-Armitage of Kingswood Farm, Lacey Green, sold Kingswood Farm to R.M.&.Son of Stocken Farm, Lacey Green. for £8,000, comprising 51.379 acres. The schedule of fields is identical to that shown in conveyance of 29th March 1942

5 RESEARCH NOTE from R.M.West & Son, of Stocken Farm. We sold off the house, after constructing a new driveway up to it, keeping the land, which all adjoined Stocken Farm on the opposite side of Highwood Bottom Lane.

29th June 1964 CONVEYANCE R.M.West & Son of Stocken Farm, Lacey Green to Cecil Sydney James . All that piece of land together with the dwelling house erected thereon, known as Kingswood House.

6 RESEARCH NOTE from R.M.West & Son of Stocken Farm. When Mr James died, we bought back Kingswood House, with an agreement that his widow could live there for her lifetime.

ACCIDENT at KINGSWOOD FARM recorded by R.M.West & SON in Accident Book. A tractor driver was turning hay in the field above Kingswood House.when the turner got clogged. He alighted the tractor and unblocked the implement. The tractor started to move downhill. Gathering speed it proceeded to go through the washing line, draping the clothes round the tractor, which delivered them right through the kitchen wall and into the wrecked kitchen. Mrs James, a stalwart woman, saw it coming and got out before it arrived. Having recovered from the shock Mrs James was delighted with a brand new kitchen and boiler system replacing the ancient one she had before, paid for by the owners insurance.