1910 A Walk Around Lacey Green

Mabel Janes described Lacey Green in 1910 to Joan West, starting at the south end of Main Road;

Grymsdyke or Greames Lodge.  Bought by John Forrest in 1877. He vastly increased it in size.

Beside Grymsdyke is Grymsdyke Farm and farmhouse.

On the opposite side of the road are Pond Cottages and Grymsdyke Cottages (2 pairs of cottages, sideways on to the road).   Grymsdyke House staff lived and worked there.   The extremely long gardens of Grymsdyke cottages were for the washing lines of the laundress who lived there.

St. John's Lacey Green School (consisting of a large and a small classroom).is next to the cottages.

The Reading Room is to the north of the school.   Provided with newspapers for men to read. A political idea to encourage men away from the pubs.

The Vicarage is opposite the school, north of Grymsdyke Farm and beside Lacey Green Church which comes next.

St John's Church. Built in 1825. as a Chapel of Ease attached to Princes Risborough Church.  Became an independent church in 1851.   The chancel and bell were added 1875.

Turn left into Church Lane

Church Cottage is ahead on the left.   Jesse Hawes known as “Gaffer Hawes”, the sexton lived here in 1900.

The Crown public House was on your right as you turned into the lane. Set back from the road.

Two little Crown Cottages are next to the pub, but on the roadside.

Black Firs is as you curve round the bend in the lane, A tin roofed cottage, where Annie Hawes known as Nancy Hawes, school mistress and organ player lives with her mother.

No more buildings along the back of Church Lane until the it curves round again to head back towards the Main Road.

Wimble End is on that bend on the right. Once 3 cottages, by 1900 reduced to 2.   Dan Floyd, shoemaker’s home and workshop is one of them.  Mr and Mrs Baker the other.

Lane Farm is opposite Wimble End on the north side of the lane. Lived in by George Floyd, John Forrest’s under gardener.

Well Cottages  stand next & east of the farm, they are three adjoined poor cottages.

Green Hedges is on the other (south) side of the lane.  Started as a cow shed, became a home with a grocery shop

The Famous Real Tennis Court is next on the south and set back off the lane.

Court Cottage is on the lane, built near the Tennis Court.   In 1900 lived in by Mr and Mrs Tom Hickman.

Grace Cottage is the last house on the north side, tucked behind Gracefield which is on the Main Road

At the end of Church Lane on the corner as you turn left back onto the Main Road Is the garden of Gracefield, the entrance to the house is on the Main Road.

On the Main Road from the Lacey Green School you have missed three things by going round Church Lane.

Graham Cottage no 1 and Graham Cottage no 2.  A pair of house (back to back, sideways to the Main Road) built by John Forrest.   Standing on Stocken Farm land, in 1910 owned by John Forrest.

Stocken Farm  Set back off the Main Road.   The house built at least by circa1630 a.d.

Nothing more unlil you turn eastwards into Kiln Lane

Lime Tree Cottage no 1 and Lime Tree Cottage no 2 on the left.  Built by Free Currell.

Kiln Farm House Further down on the right. The oldest part dated circa 1645 a.d   Associated with Kiln Farm and the brick kiln run by the Floyd Family in the 1800’s

Datcha is further on on the left, after Kiln Lane has become just a track.

Sunnybank is further on as Kiln Lane track becomes Highwood Bottom.

Kingswood Farm is in Highwood Bottom.

Return to the Main Road

Hets Loo is on the east side of Main Road is the entrance to Behind Lime Tree cottages but approached from Idle Corner, opposite The Black Horse.

The Black Horse public house is on your left as you continue up the village. The landlady in 1900 is Ann Ginger.  Inherited from her parents.  Her sister Emily lives with her.

Turn left onto the track beside the pub.

Rose Cottage and Ye Olde Cottage are ahead on the left

The trak leads to Floyds Farm, a little old cottage with a barn attached.

Retrace your steps to the Main Road and cross to the other east side.

Idle Corner or 'Black Horse Yard' is here.   Men would stand here hoping to be hired.   Several attached cottages on the left.   Certainly a ‘Ginger’ family in one of them in 1900.   On the righthand side of this yard is the coach house belonging to Gracefield House. The entrance to Hets Loo is also here.

Vine Cottage is the biggest and on the north end of the group of cottages at Idle Corner but this is approached from the Main Road. It was one time a shop

A gap now before five attached Portobello Cottages 1-5.

A Thatched House next

The Crooked Chimney “Toey Lacey's Grocers shop is attached to the Thatched House.

Backtrack across to the west side of the road., having passed the track to Floyds Farm continue northwards up th Main Road.

Clovelly nos I and 2   Lived in by the Rixon family.

A big gap to Kia Cottage, lived in by Amos James and Pol Ann.

Currells Row is next. 4 cottages with their gardens the other side of the road, behind Toey Laceys shop.  The cottages built by Free Currell.

Simeon Hickman's shoemaker's workshop comes next on a plot of land.  Simeon lived in one of Plum Tree Cottages, further up on the other side of the road.

Belle Vue Cottage no 2 and Belle Vue Cottage no 1 come next, a semi-detached pair,

Wayside Cottage next.  A Little cottage, its front window almost kissing the road. Had been a butcher's shop, but now a private house lived in by the Biggs family.

A gap to Highlands (later called Ardengrove)   In 1900 lived in by Uriah and Rebecca Dell, with children Willi and Laura. The Dells dried herrings in the house - a very fishy smell.

A couple more old cottages before the Methodist Chapel, Lacey Green

Two more old cottages before the track leading to Promised Land Farm. This track had been gated.

Several places have been passed on the oppoosite east side of the road.

Rose Cottage (later demolished) A short gap from The Crooked Chimney

Plum Tree Cottages, sideways on to the road are semi-detached, lived in by the Adams and Hickman families. A door on the roadside has been blocked up.

Bottle Cottage joined on to Plum Tree Cottages but facing the road.

Margene

Quite a long gap to The Bakehouse on Bakery Farm, built by Henry Janes, now run by Hezekiah, his son.

Nothing more until you reach a track that leads to fields. (Later called Goodacres Lane)

Rose Villa is beyond the track

Jubilee Cottage no 2 and Jubilee Cottage no 1 semi-detached come next

Woodbyne Farm next, still going northwards. Built by George Hawes.

Fields then to THE WHIP PUBLIC HOUSE

Behind it the WINDMILL AND WINDMILL FARM

On the opposite side of Mill Road (Main Road) we have missed WOODFIELD COTTAGE, opposite Woodbyne Farm.

Nothing then until the corner opposite the Whip where stands the cottage of HILL CROFT, although the entrance is actually round the corner at the top of Loosley Hill.

TURNING RIGHT AT THE WHIP YOU ARE ON PINK ROAD.

Half a mile brings you to WIDMER FARM on the right side.

And as far again is the PINK AND LILY PUBLIC HOUSE at Parslows Hillock.

Behind the pub in Lily Bottom Lane is the row of 1 to 4 HILLOCK COTTAGES.