History

Our house was built probably just before the Civil War in the 1620's, certainly by 1646 when it was occupied by a William Young.  We like to think that Sir Christopher Wren , who was born in East Knoyle in 1632, might have come to see a new house being built in the area!  Originally thatched but replaced by a wooden roof in the 1950's, the subsequent history of the house needs researching, though we believe it has been a working farm throughout the years.  In 2004, the house underwent a major restoration including a new roof.  We found a large smoking chamber behind the wall in the Edwards bedroom big enough to smoke whole carcasses. Four stone mullioned windows had been blocked in perhaps to save money from the 1700's window tax.  Putting these back and opening up the interior of this historic house has transformed it from a 1950's farmhouse into a very comfortable and spacious family home.

Then and Now
This photo was taken from Church Close field behind the house in the late 1940s. Notice the thatched roof and the very poor pasture! The house was 'updated' in the early 1950s with a cedar tile roof and every original door ripped out.	This is the same view in winter 2008.  The cedar tile roof has been replaced with a proper tile roof and new dormers added. Upstairs are now the French Room and the Family Room.  Our pasture looks much better too!  The Old Piggery, now self catering accommodation, is to the left.
This map is of our farm in the late C19th. Notice Abbot's Pond towards the bottom and the zig zag boundary towards the top left. This was made by ox ploughing..	The layout of the fields has hardly changed. The zig zag between Long Field and Jukes (or Dukes) field has been recently smoothed out but will be restored under HLS (the Higher Level Scheme)..