The Manse Grade II

Rob Forsyth with Andrew Jacob

Buildings referred to as 'The Manse' usually are, or have been, the principal residence of a non-conformist minister. Deddington has a long history of non-conformism with a Congregational Church on New Street and Weslyan and Methodist Chapels located in the Tchure, on New Street, Church Street and, until very recently (2023), in Chapel Square; all are now private  or commercial premises.

There were two - possibly three - Manses in Deddington in the 20th Century:

The first is a bit of a mystery. Andrew Jacob's extensive collection of Deddington memorabilia contains this postcard (l) which he placed on a local Facebook group in 2021 (click to zoom). It is addressed from The Manse, New Street, Deddington. There is no Manse on New Street today and no local knowledge of there having been one in 1966 - which is well within recent memory.

The second one was definitely a Manse.  The July 1977 edition of the Deddington News (p.17) reported that the Rev.M Nicholls had been inducted as Minister of The Weslyan Reform Church in Chapel Square. His address was given as The Manse, No 3 Castle Terrace. It is no longer called The Manse.

The third Manse is a Grade II listed building and is the subject of this article.

A 1982 conveyance document (see extract) shows that prior to 1 June 1977 it belonged to  the Congregational Church. It was then sold.  Edgar (Eddie) Lines (Congregational Church Minister) and Frederick (Fred) Dealy, Eric Dodwell and Philip Clarke (all Congregationalists & possibly Trustees) are listed as conveying the property to Mrs Susan Spencer.

No deeds exist prior to 1977 so more research will need to be conducted in the Parish Archive which contains documents dating from 1877 relating to the Congregational church.

 click on image to zoom

Occupation

?? Mr Stephen English* - tenant

c.1953 Mr & Mrs Arthur and Doroth Newell - tenants

1977 Mrs Susan Spencer purchased the property from the Congregational Church and subsequently shared ownership with her husband Montgomery  'Monty' who owned local company 'Deddington Felt Roofing'. He built a house on the garden fronting onto Earls Lane and called it Florence House after his mother.

1982 The Spencers conveyed the property to Mr Terry and Mrs Shirley Clinch

1988 Listed Grade II

2024 Terry Clinch died in 2022 and, subsequent to Shirley's later death, the property was conveyed to the present owner

Andrew Jacob remembers

Andrew lived in the house as a young boy and provides some very interesting further information...

..." My Nan & Grandad, Arthur & Dorothy Newell, lived in The Manse from approximately 1953 until the early to mid 70's before moving to Mackley Close in Deddington. This photograph (click to zoom) is of them both in the front room of The Manse. I spent the best years of my childhood kicking about in it, hence I know every nook & cranny of it. There was (possibly still is!) a friendly ghost there** they named 'Lucy'. My Mum & her three sisters lived there too - see photo of the 4 daughters [Marguerite (top l),Shirley (top m) Janet (top r) & Francies (bottom)]. Monty Spencer bought The Manse & renovated it after my Nan & Grandad moved up the Hempton Road to Mackley Close. The back garden of The Manse use to run right to the back of Earls Lane. In much later years after my Grandad had died (1978) my Nan Married Eddie Lines. Just to add from memory Eddie had been married to his first wife for 50+ years....

 "It  was always called The Manse as I have seen it written on personal items of my Grandparents. I remember my Mum saying that Mr English lived there before my Nan & Grandad. I also remember my Mum telling me when she lived at Laurel Cottage Hempton as a girl walking down to Eddie's house on the Hempton Road & enjoying watching his Television as there was no electricity in Hempton. As I recall Eddie worked at Alcan as a lorry driver but also Chauffeur & somewhere along the line he ended up living at 'Cotswold House' Deddington before ending up at the Holly Tree Cottages with my Nan."

Editor's notes:

* Andrew Jacob - "Mr English was a Minister. He took Services locally. He was part of the evangelist movemant & he travelled around the country with his wife and two children. My mum is 82 and I remember her telling me that he used to teach her & other children the story of Christian faith when she was approximately 8 years old with felt on a blackboard. He wrote several books. He was good friends with Eddie Lines"
 

**For more on Deddington ghosts see this article