THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE ― These Findon Chronicles are created by Valerie Martin and are progressively growing to be the only record of life around Findon, West Sussex, England.  Everyday stories about real people..... in fact, a potted history of the village.  The topics today, are the history of tomorrow. 

"WE DON'T DO THAT SORT OF THING IN NORTH END!" — NORTH END COTTAGES

North End Cottages marked with a red arrow.

The village of Findon envelopes on its extremities, two hamlets — a word that is not in use very much in the 21st century.   One is Nepcote on Findon's south-east and the other is the diminutive North End some, ½ mile to the north and straddling the Washington Road.     This latter hamlet has been in existence for hundreds of years and was mentioned as early as c. 1485.   

A terraced row of cottages was added to North End in the late Georgian period (early 1800s) and comprised seven front doors and seven chimneys, making seven homes. 

Living in North End means that the inhabitants are known as North Enders.   I had not come across many glimpses of life at this outpost of Findon until......

 c.1920 - North End Cottages

In January 2012 I first heard from John Ranger of North End in Findon.....

 "Hello Valerie....I have lived at 1 Northend Cottages for 20 years and have gathered quite a few snippets of information about them. Are you still wanting items of historical interest?  John Ranger".

North End Cottages in January 2012


A couple of days later, I received the following narrative concerning this row of properties....


I moved to 1 Northend Cottages in 1992 and knew nothing about the area although I had lived in Worthing.

No. 1 had been owned by the Thompson family who emigrated to Canada. Both my wife and I have horses so that was the deciding factor in moving here.

No. 2 is a single cottage as is No. 3.

Nos. 4 and 5 were knocked into one property numbered as 5 as was Nos. 6 and 7 which became No. 7.

Therefore, there is no number 4 Northend Cottages !

After moving in I completed the usual decorating and in the kitchen was a false wall covering a corner. On removing this I found the original cast iron range still in situ.  Sadly it had been damaged beyond repair so had to be scrapped.  I removed all the old plaster exposing most of the original flint walls.

The cottage had become derelict some years ago before being brought back into use.  In the 1940s it had been extended virtually doubling its size with an addition across the complete north side. As this extension is about 70 years old, it is difficult to see the "join".  The original sash windows were replaced with smaller leaded windows. There is a beautiful leaded window at the top of the stairs depicting a rearing lion.  Some exposed beams have been installed but although very old, they are not originals. 

I built a porch on the front and designed it to fit in exactly as a porch of perhaps a hundred years ago would have done.  I have also included exposed timber in the roof. No.2 also has the sashes replaced by leaded windows similar to No. 1.

When excavating the ground in the rear garden to build a fish pond and waterfalls, I uncovered some substantial brickwork and footings. These must be part of the farmhouse, the roof of which can be seen in one of the old photographs of the cottages. I understand there are some more footings in the rear garden of No.6.

Originally the cottages were known as Northend Terrace but the 1911 Census shows them as Northend Row.  Perhaps neither of these were posh enough so the houses became Northend Cottages.

None of the cottages had back gardens or even back doors. Perhaps the farmer in his big house did not want his privacy invaded.



 

All the cottages had privvies in the front of the houses. Perhaps that is why, if you visit, you will see we all have buildings or sheds at the front of the cottages and none in the back gardens.  In the western paddock of No 7 are the remains of the communal wash house.

No. 6, for some reason owned one of the garages on our drive, the other being owned by No. 2.  When Peter Pawson bought No. 6 he "swapped" the garage for a piece of land at the top of No.1's garden so he could have access to the rear of his property. On that piece of land is a large ornamental shed. This was used as a "holiday home", rented out by the owners of No. 1. There is a path and steps along the edge of the garden so holiday makers could use the outside loo.

Some years ago a gentleman asked me if we still had the well in our paddock. He was adamant a well had been dug there. There is no trace now and I doubt it ever existed. Why excavate a well on a hill when there is one a few yards away in the road?

  



Again, some years ago the council were repairing the top of the old well shown in the photographs. This is situated in the Northbound carriageway of the A24, not the southbound as indicated in an earlier note. I went and had a look down. Very scary!  It was about 6 feet in diameter and water could be seen in the gloom about 50 feet below.

We moved in in May 1992 and I had to collect the key from Mrs Daughtery (senior) who lived in No. 3.  She was in her 80s then and her son, Colin lived in No. 7.  During the last war, Mrs Daughtery and her husband had a piggery on land behind the cottages.  Some of the buildings were still there when we moved in. They had a German P.O.W working on the piggery and he stayed in the area at the end of the war.  She always referred to me as Mr Ranger and I suggested she call me John.  However she would not, preferring to keep on formal terms.  We had been unable to get completion dates synchronised so did not actually own our cottage until August.  On the completion day I erected a Union Flag on the front of the house as a bit of a joke.   Mrs D. informed me "We don't do that sort of thing in Northend!"  What a character - a real matriarch!

We have lived in many places in Sussex and none of them can compare to the beautiful area of Findon. We both love it here.

John Ranger

 

 

I told John that I wished everyone would write me a description on their historic property in Findon.

 

Continue if you would like to read.....Spring at North End
 

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THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE —  is a continually growing record created by Valerie Martin exclusively for documenting life in Findon.

 

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Do let me know of anything you hear about Findon - not too controversial.   Please note that opinions expressed in the Findon Chronicles are not necessarily reflective of my own thoughts.... but sometimes they are!