By Viviane and Christopher Hall,The Knowle

 

In his will dated 2 April 1812 and proved 10 November 1813 Mr John Butcher of Deddington, plumber and glazier left his property in New Street to Samuel Churchill Field, Gentleman, of Deddington and Nathaniel Jarvis, joiner.
John Butcher’s neighbour in New Street had been Joseph Strong.
John Butcher had a sister Elizabeth Whetton.
Elizabeth had a son John and a daughter Ann.
John Butcher also owned a cottage in Philcock (sic) Street occupied by William Wilkins. This cottage was left in trust to Samuel Churchill Field, the proceeds to be used for John Butcher’s nephews and nieces Robert, George, William, Elizabeth and Mary Whetton, and George’s son also called George.
John Butcher also apparently owned two other cottages* in Philcock Street occupied (rented?) by William Shelton(Shallow?) and Benjamin Cowley. These 3 cottages together were part of The Folly - now garage block to The Knowle.

*Authors note: The Folly’ is always named as such and was originally 3 cottages. Reference to 2 cottages may in fact refer to ‘The Knowle’ which we know was originally 2 cottages. Editors note: This is backed up by the 1808 Enclosure map which clearly shows that No 63 was the Folly. Nos 52 & 64 are now The Knowle .

John Butcher seems to have been a man of means. He specifically bequeaths his linen, clock and case, 3 mahogany tables, 7 windsor chairs, a parlour carpet, 2 chests of drawers, 6 mahogany chairs, 3 large looking glasses, 3 sets of fire-irons and fenders, 3 bedsteads with their curtins (sic) and their furniture and 3 feather beds with their bolsters pillows and blankets.

3 April 1825 Samuel Churchill Field died and in his will left everything to his wife Catherine and his friend Joseph Rose of Aylesbury. Joseph Rose signed a Deed of Disclaimer and Renunciation of the Devises and Executorship of Samuel Churchill Field’s will on 3 October 1833.

25 May 1835 Catherine Field sold the 3 cottages, known as The Folly, in Philcock Street, to John Hollier of Hempton, Yeoman. The cottages were at that time occupied by John Wilkins, William Wilkins and Thomas Gibbs.

The property included ‘all houses outhouses edifices buildings barns stables gardens orchards courts yards backsides ways paths passages wells waters watercourses hedges ditches walls mounds fences profits privileges commodities advantages enhancements hereditaments and appurtenances’ - far more than now exists!

26 May 1835 A deed of Release of cottages and premises in Philcock Street was made by Catherine Field to John Hollier.

21 August 1850Conveyance of three cottages called The Folly in Deddington’ after the death of John Hollier. The three parties to the conveyance were
1. John Fortnam of Clifton, Farmer, and John Hatter of Ilbury, Farmer
(John Hollier’s executors)
2. George Fortnam of Great Barford, Mason.
3. John Churchill of Deddington, Gentleman. Note: he seems to be Executor for several transactions
The occupants had been William Wilkins, John Wilkins and Thomas Gibbs, and then Thomas Gibbs, Ann Williams and Henry Wells.

11 October 1850 ‘Conveyance of two cottages and premises in Philcock Street’ signed between William Cornwallis Cartwright of Aynhoe (sic), Esquire, John Fortnam of Clifton, Farmer and John Churchill of Deddington, Gentleman. Fortnam sold to Cartwright the two cottages, occupied by James Lewis and William Iorns, ‘on the westward side of Philcock Street
(i.e. what is now The Knowle) the public street being on the East side thereof a building and premises called the Folly on the North side thereof and a leasehold messuage or tenement and premises belonging to Elias Bennetton the South side thereof’ The latter is clearly The Old House (owned by the Elsleys) and the cottages in question are now The Knowle. John Fortnam declared that ‘no woman who may become his widow shall be entitled to Dower out of the said hereditaments and premises’! (This phrase occurs several times later on also.)

9 January 1852Conveyance of three cottages called The Folly in Deddington’ from Mr George Fortnam to Mr John Fortnam. The cottages were now occupied by Thomas Allen, James Gibbs and William Gibbs. John Fortnam now owns all 5 cottages!
They are to be ‘peaceably and quietly held and enjoyed according to the uses hereinbefore declared concerning the same without let suit eviction ejection interruption molestation or denial from or by the said George Fortnam or any other person or persons...’. The solicitor was Henry Churchill.

5 January 1866 Conveyance of 2 ‘messuages and premises’ and 3 adjoining cottages, , from John Fortnam to Mr Peter Bennett. Fortnam had now moved from Deddington to Kings Sutton. Peter Bennett was a Road Surveyor.
Occupants of the 2 ‘messuages’ - Thomas Fortnam and Mrs Fortnam widow (of John Fortnam?) and then Thomas Fortnam and Peter Bennett.
Occupants of ‘The Old House’ - Elias Bennett succeeded by trustees of Joseph Haynes deceased.
Occupants of the 3 cottages - Joseph Callow, Jemima Paynton and one unoccupied.
The solicitor is Henry Churchill again

8 February 1868 Mortgage transferred from Peter Bennett to Thomas Parish of Deddington, Yeoman.

February 1872 Thomas Parish leaves his ‘messuages or tenements’ in Earls Lane, occupied by William Allen, Isaac Hopcraft, Ann Tyrrell and Thomas Parish himself, to his housekeeper Ann Tyrrell, and after her death to her 2 sons, John Tyrrell and Michael Henry Tyrrell.
Thomas Parish leaves all his ‘messuages or tenements’ situate and being at the bottom of Philcott (sic) Street opposite Satan Lane and adjoining Mr Mobb’s property near the Town Well in Deddington’, occupied by Benjamin Sykes, George Vincent, widow Payne, widow Hall and Edward Sykes - also to Ann Tyrrell.
He also leaves to John Hopcraft of Deddington Builder and Farmer and to Peter Bennett of Deddington Surveyor and Farmer and to Joseph Hopcraft of Deddington Builder £200 to be invested and provide an income for Ann Tyrrell.
He leaves his ‘messuages or tenements’ in Satan Lane Close, occupied by Thomas Green, Henry Castle, Thomas Vincent, Richard Satchwell, Joseph Woods, Joseph Cowley and Thomas Sykes, to his nephew Thomas Parish.

21 August 1874 Thomas Parish died.

9 February 1875 Transfer of mortgage of premises in Philcock Street from Mr Peter Bennett and others to Miss Elizabeth Clara Kinch, spinster, of Eaton Hastings in Berkshire .Solicitor is William Kinch.
Transfer of mortgage and further charge from Mr Peter Bennett and others to Messrs John Ivens* and John Hitchcock.
‘The Knowle’ has now become one property, and The Folly, having been pulled down, was rebuilt as 2 cottages occupied by William Bennett and David Gardner.

* John Ivens is the GGG Grandfather of the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau. Justin's mother Margaret (wife of also PM, Pierre Trudeau) was the daughter of Doris Kathleen Sinclair (1920-2012) who was the daughter of Rose Bernard (1891-1979) who was the daughter of John's eldest son, Charles Howe Ivens (1859-1926). Charles and both his brothers had emigrated to Canada.

1 April 1874 John Hopcraft died.

21 August 1874 Thomas Parish died .

29 September 1883 indenture between Elizabeth Clara Kinch & Peter Bennett and John Ivens, Farmer, of Marsh Gibbon in Buckinghamshire & John Hitchcock, Gentleman,of Horley, transferring all the properties.


28 November 1890
Peter Bennett died at Deddington, intestate, so William inherited.NB: his wife Sarah Bennett had died 13 November 1879 at Deddington.


24 June 1893
John Ivens died.


5 August 1897
mortgage transferred from John Hitchcock of West Street Banbury to the Rev Thomas James of 3 Beacontree Terrace, Mornington Road, Leytonstone in Essex.


14 February 1898
Declaration by Mr John Whetton of Deddington, Postmaster, concerning the marriage of Peter Bennett and Sarah French in the parish church in November 1837: Their eldest and first child William Bennett was born 22 August 1838.


15 February 1898 Conveyance of equity of redemption in freehold premises at Deddington from William Bennett, Farm Bailiff, to the Rev Thomas James.


31 August 1902 Thomas James died .

17 August 1903 conveyance of freehold premises at Deddington from ‘the personal representatives (Arthur Lewis Cribb and Evan James) of the Rev Thomas James, deceased, and others’ to Miss Julia Edith Mary Ivens and Charlotte Ellen Ivens of Westbury Farm, Viridern Manitoba in the Dominion of Canada.

13 March 1928 Sale of Contents by the Trustees of the Estate of the late Mr E.W.Baker. Paxton & Holiday were the auctioneers.

More information about The Knowle and The Folly and other Philcote Street houses can be found by following this link