CROSS OAK COTTAGE, POTLEY HILL ROAD, YATELEY, HANTS

This house was surveyed by R H Johnston in 2001.

Summary of the history of Cross Oak Cottage in terms of land transfers, from the computerised data of Yateley History.

The customary description of the property is:

One cottage 1 curtilage 1 garden 1 orchard containing by estimation 1 acre more or less with the appurtenances called by the name of Cross Oak.

The earliest record presently available using this description is the Court Roll description dated 21 Sept 1737. It refers to a previous transfer on 24 Sept 1718.

The property pays no Crondall fine because it is halimote (i.e held of another manorial tenant), but is does pay a Crondall heriot (6d (possibly 6s?) in the early records). This suggests this is an ancient small landholding, and certainly predates the Crondall Customary of 1567. In that customary, there are 2 holdings with descriptions generally of this form (without name) which are halimote of Matilda wife of John Clark. However there may be other possibilities.

The fact this property is named "Cross Oak" rather than more what is more usual (the name of the owner/occupier) suggests that this property may have been a public house, but there is no direct documentary evidence presently available to support this. However the property is directly opposite to the Yateley malt house, which might be suggestive.

Transfers:

24 Sep 1718 Admission of Edri. Heyman on surrender of Hodges

21 Sep 1737 (R24-49) Edward Heyman to James Clarke (out of court 3 Feb 1736)

18 Oct 1752 (R27-17) James Clarke to John Clarke (name Cross Oake)

24 Feb 1764 (R27-119) Admission of John Clarke's exors (name Cross Oak)

18 Oct 1764 (R27-127) John Clarke's exors to John Taylor (name Cross Oak)

27 Oct 1784 (R30-23) Surr by John Taylor to George Taylor in mortgage (#40)

2 Nov 1809 (R33-18) John Taylor decd to John Taylor (heriot 6s by composition)

30 Oct 1832 (R36-37) John Taylor decd to his 4 daughters (Mary Weston, Sarah Thornton, Susannah Taylor & Ann Taylor). The will adds a new description describing it as a "double house with the 2 closes of meadow or pasture ground belonging thereto in Yately"

30 Oct 1832 (R36-39) John Taylor's daus to John Bailey, Davies St Berkeley Square, Parish of St George Hanover Square, poulterer

6 Nov 1833 (R36-53) John Bailey to Joseph Doggett, Grosvenor Street, Grosvenor Square, Middx, bootmaker

25 Sep 1866 (R46-15) Joseph Doggett to Joseph Doggett's exors (Martin Doggett of 14 Lower Grove Brompton Middx Oilman & Thomas Baily of same place Appraiser) (possibly suggests Bailey & Doggett families are connected)

18 Oct 1866 (R46-23) Doggetts exors to Frederick James Cobbett of Hill Farm Yly Farmer. (adds new description: "All that cottage now in 2 tenements divided with the gardens outbuildings and appurtenances to the same belonging situate on the South side of the public Road or Highway leading from Yately to Blackwater... now in the respective occupations of John Sanders and John Smallbone. And also that piece or parcel of land adjoining thereto containing 3 roods or thereabouts.... in the occupation of George White)

[It is clear from later records that the piece of land of 3 roods lies to the east of what is now called Cross Oak Cottage, and between this entry and the 1904 one a house called "Heatherside" was contructed on this 3 roods of land. This "Heatherside" ppty is not on 1871 map, but is in 1891 census, on 1896 map, 1911 map, 1931 map, 1939 map, and 1967 map - this last map shows Heatherside, its former stables marked Horseshoe Cottage (this ppty still exists), and Heatherside Cottage (Heatherside Cottage is the present Cross Oak Cottage)]

23 July 1904 (R54-14) Admission of Jane Cobbett of Hill farm widow for life (property now called Heatherside) (heriot 1 pound)

(description: "All that cottage now in 2 tenements divided with the gardens outbuildings and appurtenances to the same belonging situate on the South side of the public Road or Highway leading from Yateley to Blackwater... formerly in the respective occupations of John Sanders and John Smallbone but now of Charles Groves.

And also that piece or parcel of land adjoining thereto containing 3 roods or thereabouts also situate on the south side of the sd road or highway... with the messuage thereon known as "Heatherside" now in the occupation of the Misses Smurthwaite, which sd cottage or tenements gardens piece or parcel of land and hereditaments are held together by 1 copy of Court Roll and were heretofore known and described as 1 cottage 1 curtilage and garden orchard containing by estimation 1 acre more or less in Yateley called by the name of Cross Oak.)

18 Apr 1910 (R54-47) Frederick Thomas Cobbett of Hill Farm Yateley, farmer, admitted under will of F J Cobbett (heriot 10s - only part of whole ppty) (description: "All that piece or parcel of land adjoining thereto containing 3 roods or thereabouts also situate on the south side of the sd road or highway... with the messuage theron known as "Heatherside" formerly in the occupation of the Misses Smurthwaite but now of C W Birch, which premises are parcel of 1 copy of Court Roll and were heretofore known and described as 1 cottage 1 curtilage and garden 1 orchard containing by estimation 1 acre more or less in Yateley called by the name of Cross Oak.) ((NB THIS IS NOT The present Cross Oak Cottage land))

18 Apr 1910 (R54-48) Adeline Jane Cobbett of Oakfield Blackwater Hants, spinster admitted under will of F J Cobbett (heriot 10s) (description: "All that cottage now in 2 tenements divided with the gardens outbuildings and appurtenances to the same belonging situate on the South side of the public Road or Highway leading from Yateley to Blackwater... formerly in the respective occupations of John Sanders and John Smallbone then of Charles Groves and now of James Carter and Alfred Paice which premises are parcel of 1 copy of Court Roll heretofore known and described as 1 cottage 1 curtilage and garden orchard containing by estimation 1 acre more or less in Yateley called by the name of Cross Oak.)

1910 Land Tax records (no date probably between 1910 & 1915):

"Heatherside": PV547 - Brick & tiled detached, 4 bedrooms, D rm, B Rm, 2 sitting rooms, smoke room, pantry kitchen, scullery store, small grain house Brick & tiled stable=shed - for 2 Coach house & loft fair repair

1910 Land Tax records (no date probably between 1910 & 1915):

Cross Oak Cottage: The map shows Cross Oak Cottage split into two (548 & 549)

PV548: Owner Miss A J Cobbett Ann rent 7.16.0. Brick & thatch semi-det 2 bed rooms, living room W. ho. Area 10p - old poor repair ((This is the southern half of the cottage and this had most of the west side garden))

PV 549: as PV 548 but 17p. ((This is the northern half of the cottage and this had the northeast side garden))

9 Jul 1925 (R56-40) Adeline Jane Cobbett will to William Jarvis Gregory Prior & Georgina Sophia Hill (trustees of her will for John Edward Cobbett) Will refers inter alia to "2 thatched cottages Yateley Road" Residue of will in trust to John Edward Cobbett (nephew) (ppty description: "All that cottage now in 2 tenements divided with the gardens outbuildings and appurtenances to the same belonging situate on the South side of the public Road or Highway leading from Yateley to Blackwater... formerly in the respective occupations of John Sanders and John Smallbone afterwards of Charles Groves then of James Carter and Alfred Paice and now of Messrs Saunders and Freeman which premises are parcel of 1 copy of Court Roll heretofore known and described as 1 cottage 1 curtilage and garden orchard containing by estimation 1 acre more or less in Yateley called by the name of Cross Oak.)

19 Feb 1935 (R56-153) Compensation Agreement. Admission of Frederick Thomas Cobbett of Heatherside (described as all that piece or parcel of land cbe 3 roods or therabouts situate on the south side of the road leading from Yateley to Blackwater ... with the messuage thereon known as Heatherside and now in the occupation of the Tenant) ((This is Heatherside, NOT the present Cross Oak Cottage land))

19.12.1935 (R56-156) Extinguishment. Admis of William Jarvis Gregory Prior, 4 Blagrove St Reading Berks Tailor & Georgina Sophia Hill, West Ridge Wellington College berks, Spinster. (description: "All that cottage now in 2 tenements with the gardens outbuildings and appurtenances to the same belonging situate on the South side of the public Road or Highway leading from Yateley to Blackwater... and now in the occupations of Messrs Saunders and Freeman which premises are parcel of 1 copy of Court Roll heretofore known and described as 1 cottage 1 curtilage and garden orchard containing by estimation 1 acre more or less in Yateley called by the name of Cross Oak.)

YATELEY POOR RATES.

Nothing identifiable before 1724, but the Heyman family own a lot of properties. That year a large number of very small properties were added to the Poor Rate collection, including this one, for the first time. From 1724-1735 payment is made by Edward Heyman. Then 1736-1764 by John Clarke, usually identified as "for Heymans". This shows amongst other things that the use of "Cross Oak" as the common name for the ppty had ceased by 1736.

Conclusions from the early land records:

The name Cross Oak is not used in 1567. It has ceased normal usage by the early C18. Hence suggests Cross Oak is likely to have been the name used in the C17.

The land holding does not prove the age of the building, as the house might have been rebuilt. But on the basis of what I saw at the house itself, the house could have existed in 1567. It is a low structure, and the wattle & daub wall in the roof space could be pre 1567, and the house is well below current normal ground level.

Ownership history from 1936,

DELETED These are not available to the public for privacy reasons

LIST OF PAPERS IN ABSTRACT OF TITLE FROM 1960-1985 (TITL01)

DELETED These are not available to the public for privacy reasons

END of abstract of title documents

DELETED Material not available to the public for privacy reasons

10.11.1987: Listed as Building of arch interest (HDC9401):

Listing Description:

SW 86 SW Yateley Potley Hill

3/13 Cross Oak Cottage

L1140 II

C18 1 storey and attic, 5 windows. Thatched roof with 3 eyebrow dormers. Upper

walling has exposed timber framing, with rendered infilling and other walling.

Modern casements. Modern extension to rear (east), with entrance.

DELETED Material not available to the public for privacy reasons

Cross Oak Cottage - Short notes of very quick inspections made 3 Feb 2001 & 10 Feb 2001 by Dr R H Johnston These are preliminary and may be subject to alteration.

Timber framed (box type) with brick infill. Thatch. Low building, first floor largely within roof. The rear parts date from about 1960 and later (not examined in detail)

For the western side of the house there are three phases of construction.

1) The earliest is the southern end, the present lounge. The originally outer northern wall survives in the roofspace. The character of this southern section is such that it may have originally been a small hall house, open to the roof, with no chimney. This hall may have had a cross passage at the southern end. Later a chimney was built against the North wall, and a floor inserted to provide a lower ground floor room with a bedroom above. The first floor floor joists run north-south and are of remarkably heavy construction.

2) the second stage is the central section, between the lounge and the dining room. This is narrow, being only a few feet wide, and is strongly intruded upon by the fireplace, but is wide enough to provide a small second service room, and the quality of the first floor joists (which run north-south in the eastern half is very low, and they are very narrow. Those in the western half are better quality, but some appear fairly recent - perhaps suggesting this was perhaps once the site of a staircase.

3) the third stage is the northern third of the building, now the dining room. The first floor level is set distinctly lower than the rest, and the quality of the construction of the first floor is higher. A central beam runs north-south across the centre of the room, and this beam is well made and chamfered and the chamfer is stopped at the southern end. Many of the joists, which run east-west are curved, but they are generally of reasonable quality. This part of the house could date from the end of the C17. A chimney stack is built against the outside of the north wall.

Chimney in lounge - about 5ft wide hearth, until recent lining of chimney contued at that width well up chimney - resulting in smoking chimney & draughts.

Next to that southwards, on western side - exposed joists run NS and are clearly recent - probably site of a staircase & front door. To rear (east) of this very thin exposed joists - not squared - bark removed - possibly recent & for effect?

Next to that - large room - very heavy exposed joists running NS. Post in room supports this and the part at the south end probably site of another staircase. at east side south end former door opening (external) with upper hinge pin surviving. Outshot to east recent: its absence from the 1960 survey report and the 1967 OS map suggests this has been added very recently, despite having a slate roof.

First floor. North end - exposed timbers of roof and at top of wall. Quality of timber very low.

Small room at centre - probably site of staircase?

South end room - similar to north end, but also has exposed vertical timbers in east wall.

Roof space

Central brick chimney stack hard to date but not very ancient (possibly C18 brickwork?). Roof has no ridge board, and timbers relatively lightweight and "rough hewn". Crosswall to south of central chimney - appears to be rough plasterwork on heavy split laths - likely to be no later than about 1650 but might well be much earlier.

Outside:

West wall - clearly three build stages. Timber framed with cement? infill - not very sympathetic

South wall - largely reconstructed in Flemish bond brickwork. Heavy cross beam survives at eaves level with framing above. Window for bedroom blocked

East wall - some framing visible at south end

Notable that the house is some 18" below the normal ground level, suggesting this house is ancient, since a rebuild would normally be redone to current ground level. South end particularly low relative to ground level.

Note implications of being a halimot property - suggests house on site (well) before 1567.

Further survey material is on the passworded site

http://www.hants.org.uk/yateley/yhp/crossoak.htm

This site is passworded for privacy and third party copyright reasons, and not available to the general public.

Created by RHJ 26.3.2008, revised 26.3.2008 (c) The Yateley Society, 2008