The Kent History Forum
Geography in Kent => City, Town and Village Histories => Topic started by: Mike Gunnill on June 18, 2020, 07:32:01 PM
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Does anyone have any knowledge of a farm, called Coldrum Lodge. Close to the National Trust site of Coldrum Long Barrow, the large property was pulled down sometime after 1946. This is the last time there is a record of the building standing thanks to RAF aerial photographs in 1946. The Coldrum Long Barrow was named after Coldrum Lodge as it was the nearest large property at the time of discovery.
I am looking again at the life of Reginald Fairfax Wells 1877-1951. At the start of his life as a potter, I think he lived at Coldrum Lodge.
1: To find a photograph or image of Coldrum Lodge.
2: To find out more detail about the large property.
3: Why was it pulled down?
I already have asked, Maidstone Museum as they hold items found at Coldrum Long Barrow. Historic Buildings of England can't help. KCC Archives are looking on reduced staff at the moment but this may prove difficult until the centre reopens.
I may have to visit the area and just ask around, normally someone knows something this way. Getting folklore information like this, is harder to prove. On the basis that most members on here know something on most topics, I am hoping for a few leads.
I have one old photograph showing Reginald Fairfax Wells when he first moved to Coldrum Lodge. Taken inside, it shows a barn like ceiling and various items for pottery making. Wells in the photograph is hold a large snake, for some reason. I have previously made contact with his descendants and they have no knowledge at all about his time at Coldrum.
Wells may not have stayed in the actual house, but perhaps in one of the out buildings nearby.
Grateful as always for ideas, your knowledge or clean suggestions please.
Thank you
Mike
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Coldrum Lodge is shown on this map. https://maps.nls.uk/view/102343522 (https://maps.nls.uk/view/102343522) Surveyed 1867 Published 1870
East of Trotterscliffe (Trosley) South of the Pilgrims Way and the stones (described as Stone Circle)
https://www.kentarchaeology.org.uk/sites/default/files/archcant/1998%20118%20Coldrum%20Revisited%20and%20Reviewed%20Ashbee.pdf (https://www.kentarchaeology.org.uk/sites/default/files/archcant/1998%20118%20Coldrum%20Revisited%20and%20Reviewed%20Ashbee.pdf)
Coldrum Lodge is shown here as well https://maps.nls.uk/view/101428971 (https://maps.nls.uk/view/101428971) Revised 1936 Published 1948
It may be unconnected but there is on this map reference to Wrotham Old Pottery, north of Wrotham Station (Borough Green ) https://maps.nls.uk/view/101428986 (https://maps.nls.uk/view/101428986)
It is some way from Coldrum Lodge though.
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Coldrum Lodge is shown on this map. https://maps.nls.uk/view/102343522 (https://maps.nls.uk/view/102343522) Surveyed 1867 Published 1870
East of Trotterscliffe (Trosley) South of the Pilgrims Way and the stones (described as Stone Circle)
https://www.kentarchaeology.org.uk/sites/default/files/archcant/1998%20118%20Coldrum%20Revisited%20and%20Reviewed%20Ashbee.pdf (https://www.kentarchaeology.org.uk/sites/default/files/archcant/1998%20118%20Coldrum%20Revisited%20and%20Reviewed%20Ashbee.pdf)
Coldrum Lodge is shown here as well https://maps.nls.uk/view/101428971 (https://maps.nls.uk/view/101428971) Revised 1936 Published 1948
It may be unconnected but there is on this map reference to Wrotham Old Pottery, north of Wrotham Station (Borough Green ) https://maps.nls.uk/view/101428986 (https://maps.nls.uk/view/101428986)
It is some way from Coldrum Lodge though.
Longpockets: Thank you for this. I have seen most of the maps. I have an aerial picture from 1946, I think the place was pulled down after this. Confirmed tonight that Reginald Fairfax Wells lived and had a pottery at Coldrum Farm. I think the lodge and the farm are the same thing. I think the Wrotham location, is too far away. Bit of a mystery this! Thank you for your reply.
Mike
add: from an exhibition some years ago of his work. There is reference to him using in his early years < nearby local Wrotham clay.> < after his first pottery was established around 1900 at Coldrum Farm near Wrotham >
Added a picture of Reginald Fairfax Wells, 1900 at Coldrum Farm.
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Interestingly, assuming I've poked the right buttons, neither Reginald nor Carissima show up at Coldrum Lodge in the 1901 census; rather the occupants are Frederick and Louisa Capon and Winifred Still.
According to the BNA, Reginald testified at the inquest into his father's death in 1902 that his father lived with him, whilst Emily, his mother, testified that she had seen her husband leave the house that morning to go to the City, as he regularly did. James William Wells was found dead at Charing Cross station in a train that had come from Dartford, although the inquest heard that it was likely he had died after the train left Cannon Street.
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Interestingly, assuming I've poked the right buttons, neither Reginald nor Carissima show up at Coldrum Lodge in the 1901 census; rather the occupants are Frederick and Louisa Capon and Winifred Still.
According to the BNA, Reginald testified at the inquest into his father's death in 1902 that his father lived with him, whilst Emily, his mother, testified that she had seen her husband leave the house that morning to go to the City, as he regularly did. James William Wells was found dead at Charing Cross station in a train that had come from Dartford, although the inquest heard that it was likely he had died after the train left Cannon Street.
I think this relates to the main house, Coldrum Lodge. On the same site there was Coldrum Farm, an oasthouse and three more "out buildings ". I will keep looking, thanks Nemo.
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The House Name filter of Findmypast for the 1901 census shows only Lodge when prompted with Coldrum.
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Agree with Nemo ref. Capons at Culdrum Lodge for about 20 years.
As Coldrum Farm, is at Trottiscliffe .West Malling I would suggest that it may have no connectionto with Coldrum Lodge at Addinton West Malling
(Coldrum farm shows onElectoral Rolls 1904 & 1907)
RFW and his wife seem mostly off the Radar, as regard where living etc.
His Birth was Registered in Rio de Janeiro twixt 1876 & 1880. source Consular Birth Indices (1845-1965)
His Death Registered at Lewes Sussex on 29th June 1951
His Marriage to Carissima Rawlings at Fulham in 1899.
3 Possible Children Harold Decius 1900 Fulham
Marjorie Delia 1903 Malling
Reginald Barr 1905 Malling.
Carissima Wells shows up on the 1939 register as:-
Divorced .Independent Means Bn 25 January 1861
Her death is recorded at Bromley 1962 .Age given as 94 Dob 1868. disagrees with her Dob of 1861 on 1939 reg. making her 101.
Cannot verify Dob as not showing on reg records.
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Agree with Nemo ref. Capons at Culdrum Lodge for about 20 years.
As Coldrum Farm, is at Trottiscliffe .West Malling I would suggest that it may have no connectionto with Coldrum Lodge at Addinton West Malling
(Coldrum farm shows onElectoral Rolls 1904 & 1907)
RFW and his wife seem mostly off the Radar, as regard where living etc.
His Birth was Registered in Rio de Janeiro twixt 1876 & 1880. source Consular Birth Indices (1845-1965)
His Death Registered at Lewes Sussex on 29th June 1951
His Marriage to Carissima Rawlings at Fulham in 1899.
3 Possible Children Harold Decius 1900 Fulham
Marjorie Delia 1903 Malling
Reginald Barr 1905 Malling.
Carissima Wells shows up on the 1939 register as:-
Divorced .Independent Means Bn 25 January 1861
Her death is recorded at Bromley 1962 .Age given as 94 Dob 1868. disagrees with her Dob of 1861 on 1939 reg. making her 101.
Cannot verify Dob as not showing on reg records.
grandarog
I don't understand. I have Coldrum Farm at Trottiscliffe, West Malling and Coldrum Lodge in same location. On a map, the lodge is shown with several outbuildings which was the farm. I will continue. Perhaps Wells never registered he was living at Coldrum?
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Coldrum Pottery artifacts seem to be dated 1904-1909. Was the Wells' move to Coldrum in 1900 or "around" 1900?
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Mike,
Coldrum Lodge is shown at Addington on PDF's of Electoral Rolls and Censii.
Whereas Coldrum Farm is Shown at Trottiscliffe on Ditto.
The parish boundary must have passed between them.
If he was there between 1901 and 1911 he would not show on Census and he doesn't appear on Electoral rolls of the period .
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Coldrum Pottery artifacts seem to be dated 1904-1909. Was the Wells' move to Coldrum in 1900 or "around" 1900?
He was producing pottery from Coldrum in 1900. That is all I know. he doesn't show on the 1901 census or the 1911 census. Nearby Coldrum Long Barrow was becoming more active from around 1909/1910 and he moved to Chelsea.
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Mike,
Coldrum Lodge is shown at Addington on PDF's of Electoral Rolls and Censii.
Whereas Coldrum Farm is Shown at Trottiscliffe on Ditto.
The parish boundary must have passed between them.
If he was there between 1901 and 1911 he would not show on Census and he doesn't appear on Electoral rolls of the period .
I think, think that Coldrum Lodge and Coldrum Farm are the same thing. The lodge is marked on maps set aside from several outbuildings. I think the outbuildings were the farm. According to the parish clerk in West Malling, there were several boundary changes about this time. Addington is the parish of Addington and the a few hundred yards away, to the west of the lodge, the outbuildings ( Coldrum Farm )
I didn't understand why he ( Wells & wife ) don't appear on the 1901 census. And that when Wells senior died, Wells junior said they lived together to Inquest court. The address provided to the court was 15 Grove Mansions, Clapham Common. This is hardly near to Coldrum! Two children Madge Wells was born 1904 and Reginald Burr Wells was born 1906 both are listed as born in Trosley, Kent.
This from the Tonbridge and Malling District Council web site: < Trottiscliffe is a village in Kent, England about 2.5 miles north west of West Malling. It is often incorrectly spelled Trosley after Trosley Country Park at the top of the North Downs, which was once part of the Trosley Towers Estate.>
[/size]Trottiscliffe & Trosley are the same??
[/color]
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English Heritage describes it as a regular courtyard farmstead, with the farmhouse detached and in a central position. This does seem to imply that Coldrum Lodge was actually the farmhouse, even though it isn't marked on maps as Coldrum Farm.
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Carissima Wells and Reginald F Wells are in London in the 1911 census.
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https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Mcl1jihEOlAC&pg=PA162&lpg=PA162&dq="coldrum+pottery"+kent&source=bl&ots=bXBuIsHTi2&sig=ACfU3U3mUepvatkie11hWrmjhdSEOoFl5g&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiMkNbm15PqAhVtTBUIHfNOCMoQ6AEwBHoECAYQAQ#v=onepage&q="coldrum%20pottery"%20kent&f=false
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The newspaper report of the inquest into the death of Mr Wells senior states that he was LATE of Grove Mansions, so it seems more likely that he and Emily had moved in with Reginald, Carissima and their child (perhaps taking with them the other family members shown in the 1901 census for Grove Mansions), rather than the other way round.
If Mr Wells senior was travelling back to them by train after his morning appointment in the City, and the train went from Cannon Street to Dartford en route, where was his destination (bearing in mind the later births registered at Malling)?
Trottiscliffe and Trosley are indeed the same, cf. Wiki.
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I'm reading that train journey the other way round!
Train started Dartford and terminated at Charing Cross. Wells is assumed to have boarded at Cannon Street ( in the City) and therefore died in the short leg to Charing Cross?
I appreciate the overground trains no longer go Cannon Street to Charing Cross, but presumably they did in 1902? (Seems they stopped in 1916).
This gives Charing Cross as his planned route home. So change Charing Cross for direct service to Clapham Common?
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Ah, I hadn't thought of that!
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The Court Directory for London still shows 15 Grove Mansions, Clapham Common as the address for James W Wells in the 1905 and 1906 edition.
Has anyone access to a Kelly's Directory to search Trossley?
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Carissima Wells and Reginald F Wells are in London in the 1911 census.
Grateful for this Cosmo Smallpiece. I couldn't find them fo 1911. I use Find My Past and Ancestry??
SORRY, I meant the 1901 census.
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The newspaper report of the inquest into the death of Mr Wells senior states that he was LATE of Grove Mansions, so it seems more likely that he and Emily had moved in with Reginald, Carissima and their child (perhaps taking with them the other family members shown in the 1901 census for Grove Mansions), rather than the other way round.
If Mr Wells senior was travelling back to them by train after his morning appointment in the City, and the train went from Cannon Street to Dartford en route, where was his destination (bearing in mind the later births registered at Malling)?
Trottiscliffe and Trosley are indeed the same, cf. Wiki.
Good work Memo. Can you work for me full time please?
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The Court Directory for London still shows 15 Grove Mansions, Clapham Common as the address for James W Wells in the 1905 and 1906 edition.
Has anyone access to a Kelly's Directory to search Trossley?
Oh! But he died in 1902...
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He died, but nobody wrote to the Directory people to amend it.
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RF Wells was back and forth!
London 1902 (Nemo). Corresponding from Trottiscliffe 1902.
Those two kids born Kent. Yet London address 1904.
London evening classes 1907.
Btw we're not just looking for a potter but also a maker of bronze statues. So farm smithy?
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There is an entry under "Farm Bailiffs" in the 1903 Kelly's -
Capon Frederick (to the Hon R. P. Nevill D.L. J.P.), Trotterscliffe Maidstone
Oddly, a little further down we have:
Caton Frederick (to the Hon R. P. Neville), Coldrum lo. Addington, Mdstn.
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There is an entry under "Farm Bailiffs" in the 1903 Kelly's -
Capon Frederick (to the Hon R. P. Nevill D.L. J.P.), Trotterscliffe Maidstone
Oddly, a little further down we have:
Caton Frederick (to the Hon R. P. Neville), Coldrum lo. Addington, Mdstn.
Smiffy
Long time coming, but I spoke to the a present Neville family member a few days ago. He confirmed the lodge used to be their property but had to be pulled down. It became unsafe and didn't have any proper foundations. The estate cleared the land completely, it is now a small wooded area.