Since moving to The Grange in September 2006, I have been trying to piece together the history of this fascinating house and its gardens. Despite the many tv programmes which make it look a very easy task - it isn't! Much of the early history, ie when exactly it was built !, is lost in the mists of time - so the information here is not yet complete, and I reckon on many more trips to dusty record offices yet!
The
original house (now forming Toad Hall) is believed to be a
pre-Victorian building, its shape suggests that it was originally
thatched and the name Grange indicates that is was linked to a church
in some way. The local historian Roger Evans mentions in his book
'Bridgwater' that nuns lived in a property in Cannington - work is
ongoing to see if we can identify the Grange as their abode. There is reference to a Cistercian property in the fields to the rear of us, so it is possible the adjacent farmhouse and our buildings served this. (Victorian information has to be cross-referenced, they were good at 'inventing' history for properties)
The main house was believed built in the 1860's by an Attorney &
Solicitor originally from nearby Weston - Mr. Joseph Ruskin Poole. The 1861 census
shows that at that time he lived in Weston with his household which
numbered 20 people including servants - he had 5 daughters called Mary
so its safe to assume he was a Christian man of his day!
The 1871 census shows that he was living at the Grange, although
numbers had dropped to 14 people, with one daughter (a Mary!) gone off
to be married.
Joseph Ruskin Poole was born in 1819 in the village of Rodney Stoke
in Somerset. He practiced law in premises at 9 dampiet st. in Bridgwater, along with his brother and later his son. The company of J.R.Poole & Son continued right up until the 1960's.
There was another large Poole family in the Cannington & Nether Stowey area at
that time - they may also have been related.
The 1883 John Whitby Handy Directory of Bridgwater shows The Grange
occupied by Mrs. Caroline H Landor, and this is later verified by the
1891 census which shows her living with her daughter (another Caroline
!) and 5 staff. her date of birth is 1819 in Worcestershire - her
unusual surname may link her to the poet Walter Savage Landor
(1775-1864) although this would be via her deceased husband, his name
is unknown to us but she is described as a 'clergymans widow'. There is
no paradox in a clergymans widow being able to afford one of the
largest properties in the area - in the Victorian age joining the
clergy was as natural as becoming a lawyer or a soldier as a choice of
career for the well-to-do families.
By 1901 only her daughter Caroline E Lander is shown in occupation -
we must assume the change of spelling from Landor to Lander is a
mistake on the part of the census - with a staff of 4 women.
She is still remembered by some local people. Apparently the family had a good deal of wealth, owning 5 different carriages. She earnt herself the nickname 'Lizzie Dripping' - around 1903 at a time of local hardship the children at the local primary school were walked up on a Friday for lunch - apparently bread & dripping!
It is believed that she remained in occupation up to and possibly
after the Great War, whereupon the Yorke family (a local farming family
who still live in the village) purchased the Grange, then reselling it
minus its farming land - some 40 acres.
A legal transfer dated 15 jan 1936 shows the property being sold by
a Louisa Thomas to a Maud Elizabeth Vernon Wynter, whether Louisa
Thomas purchased it from the Yorkes is at this stage unknown, however,
it would appear that she was an aunt to the people owning the adjacent
Grange Farm - the Yorke's! The original kitchen garden is now owned by
Grange Farm so it certainly seems there were a lot of boundary changes
during this period.
Kellys' Directory of Bridgwater for 1951 shows Major Cecil St. H.
Parlby as being in occupation. He is well remembered by locals still -
our neighbour remembers that as a young boy he would often see 'the
Major' riding around the village on his horse. His occupation continues
until 1960 - when on the 21st December 1960 it was offered at auction by
C. Hall Parlby esq. Interestingly, the auctioneers advert describes it
as being converted into 3 units (possibly Ruskin Hall, Toad Hall and
the Tower).The property did not go to auction ,however, being sold privately prior.
The early 60's show a mix of occupiers with up to 5 units of
accomodation, the entry for 1964 including a Nicholas Richards, who
appears to have been the owner as a transfer deed from 1970 shows a
sale between Nicholas Chirgwin Richards and William Smithies Haworth
& Vera Esme Doris Haworth. Indeed a document from 1961 shows
Nicholas Richards granting a right of way to Peter & Ann Faun to
Grange Lodge - we must assume he sold the Lodge to them at that time
although there is no mention of the lodge in the auction details. In
1963 the Yorkes also sold some land back to Joan Winifred Richards,
giving the Grange its current layout.
So the Haworth's own the property from 1970. little is known of
their time here, and in the early 1980's the Grange is sold to Anthony
Smith. It is then that the barns are converted into 3 holiday cottages
and the swimming pool is added, with a driveway being added down to a
small underground garage - opening up the cellars. In approx. 1993 the
property again changes hands, this time it is purchased by the Gilleys
(Gillies?) , immediately selling off Hideaway Cottage and,
interestingly, the Lodge again. It would appear the Grange was owned in
company form and this was some of its assetts being sold off - but we
do not know exactly how the Lodge came back into the Grange's ownership, local information tells us that the Smiths bought the properties back in. It
was during this period that the swimming pool was enclosed and the
other facilities added.
The period from the 1970's is currently being researched, and also
the period between the wars. There is also the mystery of the small
headstone marked 'Judy' on the bank of the pond - a favourite pet, but
whose?
