Housing

The earliest dateable house on the estate is the half-timbered part of Near Bank Farm which was certainly built by 1616, the date on some wainscot with the initials RMB, standing for Rees and Mary Bowen who were then the tenants.

The core of Westcott Farm is probably of a similar date judging by the thin bricks of the original chimney-stack but the walls are now of brick and stone although the central portion of the house still has original floor and ceiling joists and oak floor boards. The accounts of Thomas Hill 175 –177 suggest that the normal roof cover was straw thatch with broom probably used on farm buildings (SA 112/7/12-13 Estate a/c 1734-82). Broom was in use in the adjacent parish of Pulverbatch in the later 16th century (SA 112/ / ). Leases in Shelve in 1734 and 1753 mention the annual provision of a fixed quantity of straw or broom for thatch by lessees; rye straw is specified in one case (SA 4947/2/20, 21).

Straw thatch is still present under a tin top on a timber-framed barn at Bank Farm in the former Habberley Office. The same was true on the Lloyd estate in Hogstow in the 1750’s (SA 103/3/13). By the mid 18th century stone was much in evidence for repairs and extensively used for boundary walling (SA112/7/12-13). There is a quarry on Westcott Hill just above the farm. Bricks were being made on the estate in 1752 and in 1798 “brick” field names occur near Gatten Lodge.

Pollardine farmhouse was rebuilt in brick during the Napoleonic wars and there were still farm buildings of this date until the later 20th century (Gatten estate archives sale particular, 1818). The house was entirely reconstructed in the 20th century. Judging by the ground plan of Westcott farm in 1798 most of the standing stone farm buildings were already in place. The roof trusses and internal framing are all reused timber. Much of this may date from the very active programme of repairs initiated by Thomas Hill. The farmhouse there is of brick and stone and in parts casing a timber frame.

At Gatten Lodge, the presumed site of “La Logge” in the C15th the present gentry dwelling is a composite structure mostly of C19th building. In 1831 it was said to be a “capital farm house convertible at a small expense into a Gentleman’s residence” (estate archive, schedule 1831) and on the opposite side of the road from the house the farm and buildings recorded on the 1798 survey and map of 1831 still survive.

The population of the township of Gatten is not separately enumerated in 1801 or subsequently but in 1793 Archdeacon Plymley recorded 11 farmhouses and two cottages occupied by 94 inhabitants of whom 58 were over the age of ten (SA 6001/6863 f.137). 

Sources for all 8 parts of the Valley of Gatten

Account and Court  rolls:

Loton Hall Mss.  Valor of estates of Hugh Burgh  5H5/ 1417  for Wattlesborough Yockleton S Stretton. Loton, Hayes, Cardeston Wentnor Habberley Shelve Gatyden Kinnerton(two entries?) Gravenor Braggington, Hamme. Moutho (sic ?Dinas Mawddy) and unspecified Welsh manors .

Society of Antiquaries: SAL/MS/560 Account roll 1424-5 Mich  It is said to be for manors of Wattlesborough, Heye, Gatydene and Kynaston(sic)

Herefordshire RO. Variety of baillifs ac and ct r in ex Hereford City Library 9133/

Gloucester RO: D5273/1 Court roll 1425-6. For manors as valor but Hem said to be Montgomery

Shropshire Archives: SA/6000/6171-6173