Stratton Chase - A Chronology

Date

Hill Farm

Town Farm

The Mill

Sandfords

Bottrells

14^th to 17^th C

Russell family build up large landholding based on Hill Farm.

Tenant Farm within Vache estate.

Part of Vache estate

Owned by Russells

1698

Mortgagors foreclose on Francis Russell who sells to Daniel Wharley.

Richard Clayton of the Vache sells to Daniel Wharley.

Now in possession of Grimsdales

To  1715

Wharley leased farms and Mill individually to tenants.

House reputedly built in 1708

1715

Purchased by Duke of Portland to become part of his Bulstrode estate; farms and Mill leased individually to tenants.

Now in possession of Hill family

1745

Purchased by Peter Parker

1788

Purchased by Sir Hugh Palliser to become part of Vache estate; farms and Mill leased individually to tenants.

Site of house owned by William Clark .

1810

William Clark dies and house comes into possession of John Goodman.

1826

Purchased by William Morten of Amersham; farms and Mill leased individually to tenants.

John Goodman dies and house comes into possession of Daniel Anthony.

1840

In Tithe survey James the elder and Henry Gurney are tenant farmers of all this land including the Mill and Dodds.

Henry Sandford is owner and resident.

Owned by Elizabeth Parker

1843

Inherited by Harriett Wright who marries Joseph Morten Gurney in 1844

 1851

James Gurney and his sons occupy Town Farm House. Hill farm house is occupied by 2 families of Ag. Labs.

Dodds is occupied by 2 families of Ag. Labs.

Henry Sandford is resident.

1859

From the County Rate the owner is Richard Morten son of William

Owner is Henry Sandford

Owner is J M Gurney but the house and land is leased out

1861

James Gurney and his son James and two servants are only occupants of Town Farm.

Henry Sandford is resident.

Farm occupied by John Goodman, house by John Hawes Ag Lab.

1867

From the County Rate, owner is still Richard Morten

Owner is now James Gurney

1870

From electoral register James Gurney is now the owner

1871

Town Farm occupied by James Gurney , son James, dau. Elizabeth, Henrietta Healy niece and Mary Keen servant.

Uninhabited. Described as "Mechanics Institute"

1877

Occupier is given as James Gurney.

James Gurney son of James marries Elizabeth Stratton

!878

James Gurney the elder dies. James and William inherit.

James Gurney takes out £8000 mortgage

1881

Census William Gurney at Town Farm. Three families of Ag Labs at Hill Farm.

Occupied by Elizabeth Gurney and Henrietta Healy

James Gurney is occupier

1891

Census William Gurney at Town Farm with children and Elizabeth Gurney and Henrietta Healy. Ag Labs at Hill Farm. No indication of habitation elsewhere on estate except the Mill.

"Town Villa" occupied by  J Keen

James Gurney is occupier

1895

Stratton Chase name first appears. Given as residence of James Gurney in Kelly's directory.

"Town Villa" occupied by Henrietta Healy.

1895

In May James Gurney is made bankrupt and the whole estate is advertised for sale in the Times

1898

Bank sells to Elizabeth Gurney, Jame's wife, for £20000 who sells to Henry Pocock for £25334..James discharged from bankruptcy.

Included as part of the Stratton Chase purchase by Pocock. Leased by Henrietta Healy

 Now shown on OS maps as "Fairleigh Farm"

1899

Henry Pocock is resident (Kelly's)

Miss Healy is resident.

John Theodore Tussaud is occupier.

1898 to 1902

Between 1898 and 1902 Henry Pocock makes major additions to both house and lands. Town Farmhouse demolished and drive from Mill Lane to Village constructed.

1902

Detailed Survey of estate and house. H Pocock takes out £27000 mortgage.

Henrietta Healy occupant.

1904

In Amersham RDC valuation book RV is £450.

Henrietta Healy occupant.  RV is £48

Name has reverted to Botrells. H Pocock is occupier.

C H Thompson is owner RV is £13 for land

1905

Henry Pocock moves to Sandfords and leases out the main house and its grounds.

Pocock takes up residence.

New Stables built. RV is raised to £53

1907

Joe Lewis Esq is occupier. (Kelly's)

Henry Pocock is resident.

Unoccupied.

1911

"Statton Chase is now unoccupied" (Kelly's).

Ralph Heal resides at Bottrells until 1920

1913

IR Valuation. Leased to C Greenway sub-leased to Sir James Woodhouse.

Main house and grounds 98 acres, Market value £30000. Hill farm 164 acres market value £7815.

20 acres Market Value £2875

Residence of H Pocock

"includes good modern block of stabling and coach houses in rear, lawn, greenhouses, 3 paddocks, 20acres."

Owner is Mrs M E Thompson.

Occupier is Henry Pocock. but House sub-leased.

159 Acres Market Value £7500

1916

"House at present not habitable" (Amersham RDC valuation book) RV reduced to £167.

1917

Jason Henry is resident.

Harrods have furniture sale including "property removed from Stratton Chase".

H Pocock leases Hill Farm 106 acres to Tom Pollard.

1919

RV increased to £275 but only 15 acres with house

1920

E A Cumberbatch  is resident

H Pocock is resident.

Ralph Heal is resident

1921

Henry Pocock dies in November.

1922

Sept. Hill Farm 146 acres sold to Tom Pollard. N W Gurney and J Falkner each buy part of remainder.

Leonard Matthews is resident

1923

E A Cumberbatch  is still resident.

July. Alterations and additions at Stables. By Falkner and Sons.

(Amersham RDC Surveyors report book item 391).

Sandfords

Linden Lea

1924

N W Gurney shown as owner of House and land NW of Mill Lane. ("House not now of rental value" but RV £167.

J Falkner shown as owner of land SE of Mill Lane. He starts to develop the land and build houses.

J Falkner shown as owner but 16 acres of land leased to T Pollard.

House occupied by Hunnybun.

J Falkner shown as owner. Occupier is J F Watkins.

Defined as "new house" extent 1/4 acre RV £54

Leonard Matthews is owner and resident of house. Tom Pollard is owner and occupier of Land.

1925

Reassessed Extent increased to 3/4 acre. RV now £37/10/-

Sold by Auction to I Sanderson. (Herts RO)

1927

"Stratton Chase is now vacant" (Kelly's)

May. Advertised in The Times with photo "Handsome house with 65 acres"

Eric Jeffcock is resident

I C Sanderson is resident

1931

"Stratton Chase is now vacant" (Kelly's)

1932

Ratepayer is EAS Dyer.

RV £75

1935

"Stratton Chase is now vacant" (Kelly's)

June. Report in The Times of sale by Harrods of the house with 10 acres.

Purchaser is P W Rogers.

H R Landridge is resident

I C Sanderson is resident

1939

Stratton Chase is no longer mentioned in Kelly's

H R Landridge is resident

I C Sanderson is resident