The Manor Sale of 1916

Sale catalogues can be very interesting items and this one, complete with well reproduced photographs certainly is.

Manor sale catalogue – 1916

The bulk of the estate had been sold off following the death of Charles Awdry. James Welch, the father of the man whose war diaries and letters can be seen here acquired and kept the auction catalogue for the remainder of the estate. This was sold off in 33 lots on July 28^th 1916.

Buildings in the sale included

Bouverie Lodge, now happily rebuilt after the awful fire there.

The Fishing Cottage which also still exists.

The cricket pavilion which stood where the houses of Pavilion Gardens have been built.

The manor house itself.

Let’s take a look at a description of lot 23 which included the pavilion.

It sounds delightful.

James Welch, we guess, was at the sale and recorded price and buyer.

So we think the ground and pavilion were purchased by Mr Holloway for £535 (or maybe £555).

Lavington School now occupies part of the former cricket field.

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A Former Manorial Corner

Before the building of Roman Way and Saxon Close, some buildings in the village were more visible than they are today and that included an area where some of the larger structures stood – once places where the Lord of the Manor, Edward Pleydell Bouverie had influence. Our photo dates from 1992

The Barn House was built in the grounds of Market Lavington’s Old House

Here we are looking up from the valley of the Northbrook Stream with Ladywood behind us. The buildings we see have addresses on Parsonage Lane.

We can see the roof of The Old House in this 1992 photo

At the extreme right we can see the roof of The Old House where once the grand old lady, Miss Anne Pleydell Bouverie, held sway. The nearest building to us was known as ‘The Barn House’ in 1992. It had been built (a kit form, Swedish style house) in the grounds of The Old House.

This view of The Barn House is now closed off by the Grove Farm Estate

Behind the Barn House, to the left, we see the end of what was then called The Fives Court but has now returned to its proper name of The Racquets Court. This was once the sporting playground of the Pleydell Bouverie family and their guests.

And to the right of the Barn House we see the barn – a venerable old barn which has seen so many uses over the centuries to include concerts, dances, religious services and, no doubt, storage of farm produce.