Tracing history of house names

[sarahj]

We are fortunate enough to have the deeds to our cottage going back to forty years before it was built (built 1837). However, its always puzzled me why none of the deeds until recently ever mentioned the name of the cottage (Plum Tree Cottage) or any name at all apart form the person to whom the land was being passed to and the person from whom it was being passed.

Today all became clear: my partner was talking to the owner of the house next door who told him that none of the houses in the village ever had names until the village got electricity, and the electricity board needed addresses to send the bills to. Before then, everyone knew where everyone else lived! (Obvious really). So, even though most of the houses are at least as old as mine, all of the origins of the names are still within living memory: Tapestry cottage because the two old sisters liked doing tapestries; Border house because the owners bred border terriers; Waterloo House because the owner's dog won the Waterloo cup; The Leashes because that was where the hounds were kennelled; and your usual variety of Rose tree, Ivy, White House, Cherry Tree etc.

Amazing what you can find out that isn't written down!

 

[Fizzer]

that's such a cool story! we knew that our house wouldn't have been called white cottage before 1960 as that was when it became white! However, according to the recently acquired old docs, it was called cowley cottage for a while before then and we're not sure what the link was between here and cowley (perhaps the owner worked at the car plant)!!

 

[biffvernon]

Fascinating. My house is called Tithe Farm, presumably because it was a tithe farm since time immemorial, which predates electicity's arrival in 1953. Next door is The Old Vicarage, but only the 'Old' is new. 'Twisted Chimneys' has a twisted chimney. There's also a Dunroamin, of course.

 

[Raylea]

Interesting ours is called The Limes do not know why and there is no lime trees and next door is lily cottages use to be two cottage and now is one house.

 

[Moo]

Our house-before-last was (and still is) called The Beeches. Two topped-out copper beeches in the front and another (untopped and glorious) in the back garden.
Judging by the age of the house they must have been planted as saplings when the place was built.
Inevitably they will soon reach the end of their lives and, unless someone plants more saplings, it will be yet another house called after non-existent trees.

 

[joatex]

Moo can beech trees be pollarded giving you multiple stems from the original stump ? If that works you will have a grand display for the front of the house and be not too tall so unlikely to need topping.

 

[skier-hughes]

Ours is called Berry Brook House, after Berry Brook, at the bottom of the field. Been known that since 2005 :wink: When we bought it. As the farmer was keeping most of the land, he wanted to keep the name of the farm for his converted barn. Then again, looking at old plans etc, Berry brook wasn't always spelled that way!!

 

[elm]

Our last house changed names in the early 1900's from 'Rock Cottage' to 'Corner House' - as it was built of well, rocks we thought the explanation for it's original name was pretty obvious until someone pointed out the name of the very big hill behind it - 'The Rock' ......

 

[Moo]

Moo can beech trees be pollarded giving you multiple stems from the original stump ? If that works you will have a grand display for the front of the house and be not too tall so unlikely to need topping.

I've no idea, Joatex. The trees in the front garden had been 'topped out' (which I think consisted of simply chopping the top off) long before we bought the house and they didn't look pollarded. They still had the same massive spread as the untouched one in the back garden but were only half the height. A shame, really (though I can understand why it was done) because the present owners told me that they were beginning to rot from the inside and would have to come down in the next few years.

 

[pandora]

A friend of ours researched the original name of his cottage, as he thought the name 'Rose Cottage' was a bit bland, and that it might have had a more exciting name. He was surprised but unimpressed to find it was originally called 'Number 3, The Slaps.' :lol:

 

[Penners]

Over the years, our house has been a pub, an ale house, a miller's house, a post office, a garage, a shop and now a simple dwelling.

So it has been called Mill House, a pub name (nobody seems to know what), The Old Post Office, The Old Stores and now back to a mill reference.

signed

Arthur Featherstone Cholmondley William Greatorix Murgatroyd Penners

 

[Nemesis]

The last house without a name (or indeed street number) in our village has just been sold, and a long tradition has come to an end.

 

[Penners]

So how did post and deliveries reach them?

Mr & Mrs J Smith
That Place Just Past the Oak Tree - You Know, The One With the Funny Gate That Won't Stay Open
Anytown
Oopnorthshire

 

[Nemesis]

It was a tiny hamlet until recently - Mr X, name of hamlet, name of nearest village, etc.

As the gentleman who used to live there said - the postman knows where I live!

Other houses are called after original owners or other identifying features (The Forge). Quite interesting to trace the origins of some names.