1910 A Walk Around Lacey Green

1910 A Walk Around Lacey Green
Year	1910
Village	Lacey Green
Author	Mabel Janes
Copywrite
Theme
Social Period	Category:1910's

MABEL JANES TAKES A WALK ROUND LACEY GREEN IN 1910 STARTING ON THE MAIN ROAD FROM THE SOUTH.

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. JOHNS LACEY GREEN SCHOOL is the next along. (consisting of a large and a small classroom).

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 the farm and beside the church, which comes next.

ST. JOHNS 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 on the roadside.

AS YOU CURVE ROUND THE BEND IN THE LANE is BLACK FIRS, a tin roofed cottage, where Annie Hawes known as Nancy Hawes, school mistress and organ player lives with her mother.

NOTHING ALL THE WAY ALONG TO WHERE THE LANE CURVES ROUND AGAIN TO HEAD BACK TOWARDS THE MAIN ROAD.

On the bend on the right the house known as WIMBLE END.   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.

Opposite Wimble End on the north side of the lane is LANE FARM, 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 (east) side of the lane.  Started as a cow shed, became a home with a grocery shop

THE FAMOUS REAL TENNIS COURT is next, 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.

The last house on the north side is GRACE COTTAGE, tucked behind Gracefield which is on the Main Road

AT THE END OF CHURCH LANE AS YOU TURN LEFT BACK ONTO THE MAIN ROAD Is the garden of GRACEFIELD, the entrance to the house is on the Main Road.

FROM THE SCHOOL COMING UP THE MAIN ROAD INSTEAD OF GOING ROUND CHURCH LANE YOU WOULD HAVE PASSED ONLY THREE THINGS.

GRAHAM COTTAGES.  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 circa1670 ad.

NOTHING MORE UNTIL YOU TURN EASTWARDS INTO KILN LANE.

KILN LANE

1 LIME TREE COTTAGES and 2 Lime Tree Cottages on the left.  Built by Free Currell.

KILN FARM HOUSE.  Further down on the right. The oldest part dated circa 1645 ad  Associated with Kiln Farm and the brick kiln run by the Floyd Family in the 1800’s

FURTHER ON KILN LANE BECOMES A TRACK LEADING TO DATCHA, on the left then SUNNYBANK and  KINGSWOOD FARM in Highwood Bottom.

RETURN TO THE MAIN ROAD

On the east side of Main Road is the entrance to HETS LOO.  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 TRACK LEADS TO FLOYDS FARM.   A little old cottage with a barn attached.

RETRACE YOUR STEPS TO THE MAIN ROAD AND CROSS TO THE OTHER SIDE.   This is known as IDLE CORNER OR BLACK HORSE YARD.   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. The biggest and on the north end of the group is VINE COTTAGE, at one time a shop, but this is approached from the Main Road.

A GAP NOW before 5 PORTOBELLO COTTAGES, then a THATCHED HOUSE before the CROOKED CHIMNEY “TOEY” LACEY’S GROCERS SHOP

BACKTRACK ACROSS THE ROAD.   HAVING PASSED THE TRACK TO FLOYDS FARM CONTINUE UP THE MAIN  ROAD.  

To CLOVELLY nos 1 & 2.    Lived in by the Rixon family.

A BIG GAP to KIA COTTAGE lived in by Amos James and Pol Ann.   Then CURRELLS ROW. 4 cottages with gardens the other side of the road, behind Toey Laceys shop.  The cottages built by Free Currell.

Next comes a plot of land where Simeon Hickman has his shoemaker’s workshop.   Simeon lived in one of Plum Tree Cottages, further up on the other side of the road.

Now we come to a semi-detached pair, no's 2 BELLE VUE COTTAGES and 1 BELLE VUE COTTAGES

Next, WAYSIDE COTTAGE.    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

Two more old cottages before the track leading to PROMISED LAND FARM.  This track had been gated.

SEVERAL PLACES HAVE BEEN PASSED ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE ROAD.

A gap from Toey Lacey's shop to ROSE COTTAGE. (later demolished)

Now sideways on to the road are semi-detached PLUM TREE COTTAGES, lived in by the Adams and Hickman families. A door on the roadside has been blocked up.

Joined on but facing the road BOTTLE COTTAGE then MARGENE

Quite a long gap to Bakery Farm, with the THE BAKEHOUSE, 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)

Beyond the track on Mill Road (Main Road) are ROSE VILLA AND JUBILEE COTTAGES

next to WOODBYNE FARM 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.