YESTERDAY IN THE WATTLE HOUSE

First published in Along The Furlong in September 1999.

Copyright Valerie Martin 1999

The ancient Wattle House has stood sentinel on Nepcote Green and I am sure it has witnessed numerous Lamb and Sheep Fairs over the centuries. The property has a long and considerable history that has hitherto been unrecorded. The historic two hundred-year-old house holds many surprises for those who do not know its story.

My chronicle begins in 1803 when as many as 5,302 sheep were listed in the parish of Findon — considerably more than today. There were many comings and goings to be seen on Nepcote Green that year. The open space was a hive of industry during the construction of the Wattle House by a well-known local Findon family, the Holfords.

I understand that new brick and flint building which was completed by 1803, replaced an original smaller ramshackle wattle store that had stood on the Green for many years. It was designed so that the wattles for sheep pens on Sheep Fair day were to be stored on the ground floor of the new property. The Wattle House was imaginatively built and incorporated two cottage tenements — one on each side with their own entrances and staircases to accommodation on the first floor. These it is guessed were to house members of the Holford kin. Thirty-six years later, a John Holford and his family were still residing at the property in 1839.

The date of the Inclosure of the Downs Act was 1845. It was at the inclosure of the Downs, that Nepcote Green was designated —

As time passed, many families lived in the two attached cottages on either side of the Wattle House. In 1851, three families resided on the Green, an amazing total of thirteen persons — which seems rather surprising today when looking at the old building.

The years rolled by and alterations took place to the structure of the Wattle House. In 1911 the area described as the Long Room, (above the Wattle Store), was in the sub-tenancy of the Vicar, the Reverend William Dennis Allen and it was used for a variety of public functions. The Long Room, as it had now become known, was described as "a very pretty club room". The dusty rooms seen today can hardly be imagined as the same place with their then new furnishings, well tuned piano and tasteful mahogany seats. William Ockenden of Nepcote, (a well-known figure to everyone in the village), had even been called in to assemble a picture rail around the walls of the room and two elegant pictures were already in place.

The library books while distributed from the Wattle House were carefully covered in thick brown protective paper and carried easily recognisable distinctive red labels — presumably to prevent them being lost while out on loan in the community. The library was conducted at the Wattle House until 1923 when it was transferred to the Old School House, and finally to the new Village Hall when it was built in 1933.

The popular Long Room at the Wattle House was also the centre for parochial purposes and in demand for village Whist Drives. Other functions included the regular meetings of the ladies of the Sewing Club; a Bible Class for girls; a drill class; several varied clubs for women and even the occasional dance and various merry tea party gatherings.

On Tuesday, 16th October 1917 the very first meeting of the Findon Women’s Village Council was conducted in the same Long Room. Findon comprised of approximately a thousand inhabitants at the time and the organisation was formed to deal with matters affecting the social, economical and domestic welfare of the village. It was planned to take action on the questions of local housing that resulted in the start of council house building — of which Findon has some early examples. Other plans were for child welfare and education for the young. It was a grand affair and the tables were decked with flowers in the Long Room. Unfortunately, the weather was not kind. It was a very wet afternoon but in spite of the inclement day, the occasion was marked with jubilant national flags waving from the Wattle House windows. The news spread far and wide and was even important enough to be reported in the Daily Mirror the following morning for the whole country to read. Findon, thanks to the old Wattle House, was no longer a rural backwater.

In 1919, the Reverend Percy Leonard became curate of St. John the Baptist Church and he arranged monthly "Sing-Songs" in the Wattle House and greatly enjoyed voicing his Cockney compositions to a captive audience who walked across the Green to join in. From all accounts he was a jovial and well-liked character. Every Good Friday the school children were marched to the church in the morning and afterwards it was "Percy" who would lead a paper chase in the afternoon for the older boys from the school. This was carried out over a mile or two in the Cissbury Ring area.

In 1920 the Findon Women's Village Council were even more enterprising and operated a "Jam Factory" and purchased fruit from the villages for their preserves.   

Around 1922 the more serious business of Parish Council Meetings were conducted in the popular Long Room. These were attended under the flickering light of paraffin lamps during the winter months — as it was before electricity was introduced to Findon.

By 1956 the old Wattle House was declared unfit for human habitation and the remaining occupants of the adjoining cottage accommodation were found alternative homes. The walls stood seemingly forgotten by all and derelict for many years.

The Wattle House story is a long and continuous one and the property surprised all by becoming a "listed building" in 1994, thus unexpectedly adding an extra layer of history to the old place. The scene of dilapidation was suddenly classed as one of special architectural interest and included in the statutory list. The fascinating Wattle House in Findon now enjoys the category of Grade II listing and as such warrants the efforts being made to preserve it by villagers.

Continue if you would like to read The Reminder in the Coffin.