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Arreton

Arreton Manor and estate

Abridged details of the auction held Saturday 6th August 1927 at the Unity Hall, Newport
Details of the auction of Manor, farm buildings, 19 cottages, and 374 acres are shown below.

Historical notes forming part of the sale prospectus are given below.

Arreton Manor is of considerable historical and ecclesiastical interest, the first authenticated holder according to the Domesday Survey was Edward the Confessor in 1050, followed by William Fitzosborn 1066, Roger of Hereford 1070, William the Conqueror 1075, William Rufus 1087, Richard de Redvers 1100, Baldwin de Redvers 1107 who gave it to the Abbey of St. Mary at Quarr, which then held the estate for four centuries. Next were the trustees of Charles the I. 1628, John Lamott and W. King 1629, Humphrey Bennet 1632, Thomas Bennet, Sir Levinus Bennet, Thomas Lord Culpeper, Cheyney & Alexander Culpeper 1668, Katherine the wife of Lord Fairfax [who colonised Virginia] 1688, Denney Martin, General Phillip Martin 1800, Feines Wykeham 1821, P. Wykeham Martin & C. P. Martin.

Of the early history of the Manor little is known up to the time of ownership passing to Quarr Abbey, although the boundaries included Horringford Mill and it was a very important assess. The Domesday Book refers to the Manor as “Adrintone” and it was rated at four hides - the Dane Gelt Valuation.

In the confirmation to Quarr by de Redvers circ 1156, the Manor is described, ‘sicut in suo dominio habebat’, he de Redvers had it in his own demesne [his own manor]. Consequently the manor unlike other lands belonging to the Abbey, was free from suit and service at the Lord’s Hundred Court, and as a result had a Court of its own as well as a Court Baron.

After the dissolution in the reign of Henry VIII’s the crown held the manor until the reign of James I, when it was bought by Sir Levinus Bennet, afterwards it was sold to Thomas Lord Culpeper, Governor of the Isle of Wight 1660-1667. His daughter Katherine married Lord Fairfax, of Leeds Castle, Kent, and as a result the manor passed to the Wykeham-Martin family. The manor was then purchased by Henry Cawley-Way and Charles Buckett Yates [now deceased] whose executives have authorised the sale, note the sons of Charles Yates still farm the adjacent land.

During the life of the manor it has been visited by several crowned heads of Europe and both Queen Victoria and Queen Mary.

Lot 1

Elizabeth Manor House, [known as Arreton Manor]

The manor is a fine example of 16th century architecture and is shaped like the letter “E”, built of stone with a tiled roof, it is situated in an elevated but sheltered position facing south overlooking part of the estate. The house is approached by a roadway screened by an avenue of tall elms.

The main central entrance porch dated 1639 [possibly a later addition to the main house] has a stop-chamfered beam ceiling with a room above and is reached by a flight of steps. The massive nail studded door with an iron knocker opens into: -

Ground Floor -

Great Hall, 21ft by 16ft 9in and at some time most probably a larger room, has a parquetry oak floor and a tiled and raised open log hearth with dogs and Iron James I fire back. The embossed initials “J.R” are reputed to have been brought from one of the monarch’s kitchens. It is partly panelled in oak and has an alcove; it also provides an entrance to a small lobby and cellar. A short corridor leads from the hall to the Drawing Room, 18ft 6in by 16ft 6in [entered by an oak panelled door] has delicately moulded oak panelling, 6 intermediate pilasters carved in vine leaf and fruit with masks and border frieze. The main feature of the room is an elaborately carved chimney piece with the Bennet coat of arms in the centre and two side panels representing Mars and Plenty, This leads onto the Oak Beamed Dinning Room, 17ft 8in by 16ft 3in.

Additional rooms, on the ground floor are the, morning room 13ft by 12ft 9in, wine cellar, pantry and game pantry. Kitchen, 22ft 6in by 16ft 8in comprising of, kitchener, dresser, baking oven, recesses, fixed cupboard, scullery, hot & cold water and sink. Fruit store, brew house with copper, bacon room in room in chimney & dairy.

First Floor

This is approached by two staircases, the principal one is accessed from the great hall, the treads are oak about 4ft wide, with handrails made of oak, the wall is panelled in oak. Main landing, leads to the bedrooms, the most important is the panelled oak room sited over the drawing room which is 16ft. 9in by 16ft. 4in. There is a carved ‘biblical panel’ over the fireplace thought to be 500 years old representing in conventional form the story of Abrahams Sacrifice. Other features of the room are, carved oak frieze, pilasters, with trophies of war, fluted pilasters, masks, emblems and cherubs. There is a Tudor rose with a crown supported by mermaids who’s tails terminate in the lion and the unicorn.

Other rooms -

Bedroom over the porch, 14ft.10in by 13ft.
Bedroom, 16ft.6in by 9ft. 9in.
Bedroom with ancient fireplace, 16ft.6in by 16ft.10in.
Bedroom, 16ft 4in by 15ft.
Bedroom divided by a partition, 21ft.4in by 16ft.8in.

Second floor

Maids bedroom, with ancient fireplace, and in the east wing 3 interesting attics which is approached by an oak staircase in which one can see the oak spreaders, rafters and beams.

The Grounds, the south facing front is laid out with a terrace, flower beds lawns and included a tennis court 98ft by 50ft. A flagged path leads from terrace to the lower gardens, which includes an 18ft by 12ft greenhouse; the supply of water to the house is obtained from a well in the grounds. There is a kitchen and fruit garden.

Outbuildings

Cycle house, double toilet, wood and coal shed 36ft by 16ft 6in, detached dairy and separator house 45ft 4in by 19ft 10in.

Farm buildings

Motor garage, 5 and 6 stall horse stables open cart shed, lock up garage, cattle shed, mill house, open cattle shed and range of piggeries. The granary engine house is built of corrugated iron with a concrete floor and consists of a Crossley oil engine with 2 water tanks, Bentall R.S.X. crushing and grinding mill, Clipper chaff-cutter and elevator, Bentall cake crusher. "25 ft of shafting and pulleys with 7 belts and corn conduit". The engine also drives a mechanical sack hoist. 6 large corn bins with four having feeders.

Fine old stone and thatched tithe barn, 80ft by 37ft with an asphalt floor and is capable of feeding two cattle yards and other buildings -
Coal barn and sows’ house.
Stable for 4 cows
2 large calf pens
Range of stables holding 24 cattle
Detached chicken house and cart shed 30ft by 15ft
Brick and tiled granary
Mixing house
Range of piggeries
16-17th Century Columbarium
5 bay open cart shed
Second barn 62ft.4in by 22ft
Water is provided by wells and other sources and there is a pond, which has never been known to dry up.

8 Picturesque Cottages [situated on the west side of the church path and built of brick, stone and slate]

No.1 has a large sitting room, kitchen with open range, scullery with copper, outside toilet and coal shed together with 3 bedrooms, currently occupied by Mr. Gerrett.

No.2, has a front lobby, large living room with kitchener, small sitting room, scullery with copper, outside toilet and coal shed, 2 bedrooms and is currently occupied by Mr. Chiverton [service tenant].

No.3 has a kitchen with copper, large living room with range, outside toilet and coal and tool shed, 3 bedrooms, currently occupied by Mrs Sampson.

Detached Cottage, built of brick, stone and a slate roof, with kitchen, small room adjoining, scullery with copper, two bedrooms and occupied by Mr Pragnell.

Detached Cottage as above, with living room and range, scullery with copper, pantry, lean to coal and tool shed, 2 bedrooms ad occupied by Mr. Collis [service tenant].

Jacobean House with thatched roof and original nail-studded door. The exterior of the building is excellent state of preservation and may have been a farmhouse or a farm bailiff’s residence and is called ‘Stile House’. It has now been converted into three cottages -
No.1. Large living room with range and beamed ceiling, partitioned scullery with copper and pantry, 2 bedrooms [with beamed ceiling] and attic, occupied by Mr. Downer [service tenant]
. No.2. Living room with range, scullery, pantry, lobby, 2 bedrooms [with beamed ceiling] occupied by Mr Gerrett, with dairy.
No.3. Living room with beamed ceiling, scullery with copper, pantry, 2 bedrooms, brick coal shed and piggery, occupied by Mr. Whittington [service tenant].
All cottages are supplied with water from the manor estate.

Several enclosures of arable and pasture land, comprising a total of 237 acres, the numbers of plots are taken from the map supplied with the auction prospectus and are detailed below, No’s 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 165 [part], 226, 233a [part], 234, 235, 235a, 236, 236a, 237, 238, 239, 240, 251 [part], 251a, 252, 253, 254, 275, 276, 277 and 278.
Note - Plots 235 & 235a are the manor and outbuilding.

The land and views

The land is easily workable and the majority of fields have a rich deep soil and there is a fine of the whole area from plot 252. The purchaser of lot 1 is entitled to receive rents amounting to £10.10.0 per annum in respect of the supply of water to the Vicarage and the White Lion Inn. The purchaser of plot 254 is entitled to a rent of 1/- per annum from the clubroom for as long as it is used for its present purpose. The Vicarial tithe apportionment on lot 1 is £10.15.5d and the greater tithe rent charge amounts to £75. 4.8d per annum.

Lot 2

Two areas of freehold arable and pasture land amounting to 35 acres situated at Down End and suitable for the creation of a smallholding. The land is bounded on the north and west by the Little Standen Estate, to the south by Burnt House Lane and to the east by the high road [the downs].

Lot 3

Five areas of freehold arable and pasture land amounting to 65 acres, bounded on the west by the Great Standen Estate, to the south by the lane leading over St George’s Down, to the east by the high road and to the north Burnt House Lane.

Lot 4

Fourteen acres of freehold land near Arreton Station known as ‘Park Meadows’, this includes a cottage built of stone and brick with thatched roof and a half-acre of garden. The cottage consists of a front room with self-fitting range, scullery with copper and dairy, larder, store and four bedrooms. There is a detached brick piggery with slab floors and a well for drinking water. There is also a half-acre of garden attached to the cottage, which contains fruit tree and garden produce.

The cottage and garden is occupied by Mr Butchers as a service tenant and Mr Calloway currently farms the land. The plots of land applicable to this lot are shown on the prospectus as no’s 216, 218, 219, 263a, 264 and 267, the property has a frontage to Arreton Street of 177 feet.

Lot 5

An area of about 19 acres of freehold land situated in the centre of the village including the Red Lion Inn and out buildings together with a cottage on the south eastern side. The buildings are constructed of brick and stone with thatched roofs and include three enclosures of meadowland having a frontage to Arreton Street of 236 feet.

The inn contains - A large front room, kitchen parlour with open range, back kitchen with self fitting range, scullery, pantry, two bedrooms, box room, outside coal cellar, detached wash house with copper, a two stall stable and van shed and a privy.

The cottage contains; - Kitchen parlour with range, scullery with copper, pantry, front sitting room, 2 bedrooms and an outside privy, there is a good kitchen garden and well. The land included in this lot are numbered 256, 258 [part], 258 [part] 261 and 261a on the estate plan at to the auction details, note there is a brick open cattle shed 26ft by 16ft 6in with loft sited on lot 256. The cottages are currently occupied by Mr. Sibbick and Mrs. Salter as half yearly tenants at a rate of £18.10.0 per annum. There is an entrance to lot 256 at the west end by the school and a right of way into part of lot 258 and 261 through the Carpenter’s yard entrance.

Lot 6

The well-known freehold smithy, which is situated on the north side of Arreton Street and in the centre of the village, the lot consists of; -blacksmith’s shop with two forges, shoeing shop and yard, the building is of brick and stone with a tiled roof and has a frontage of 50 feet with a depth of 60 feet. There are also two freehold cottages known as ‘Arreton Villas’.

No. 1 contains; -A large front sitting room, kitchen-living room, scullery/wash house, pantry, 2 bedrooms, detached wash house with copper and privy.

No. 2 contains living room, 2 bedrooms, lean to shed and privy. The villas have a frontage of 205 feet to the main road, the lot is currently leased by George & Charles Gallop.

Lot 7

Pair of semi-detached freehold cottages, built of brick and stone with thatched roofs adjoining lot 6 with a frontage of 180 feet to Arreton Street totalling 1 rod. 6 poles. Each cottage contains 8 rooms, scullery, large fuel house with copper and privy. One cottage is occupied by Mr Whittington as a service tenant and the other by Mr. Smith at a rent of £6 per annum.

Lot 8

Pair of modern freehold dwelling-house, known as ‘Sibleys Cottages’ situated at the north west entrance to the village and built of red brick wit h slate roof, each cottage has the following accommodation; - Sitting room, kitchen with self-fitting range, pantry, 3 bedrooms separate privy, outside wash house/scullery with copper, brick built piggeries and shed.

The lot has a frontage of about 149 feet and an area of 2 rods 1 pole; one cottage is leased to Mr. Blake a service tenant and the other to Isle of Wight Police at a yearly rent of £13.

Lot 9

Old world freehold cottage adjoining lot 8, built of stone with a thatched roof and contains the following accommodation; -
Sitting room, kitchen with self-fitting range, larder, small washhouse with copper, 3 bedrooms, detached privy and shed. The total area is 38 poles and has a frontage to Arreton Street of 181 feet 3; the current tenant is Mr. Kent paying an annual rent of £18.

Lot 10

A freehold detached dwelling house known as ‘Vicarage Cottage’, lying close to the church path and adjoining the vicarage grounds. The accommodation consists of living room with range, second kitchen, scullery with copper, 3 bedrooms together with privy, tool shed and piggery, the whole area being 19 poles and is let to Mr. James a service tenant.

Note - The title to all lots, except potions of lot 1, 4 and 5, shall commence with the will bearing the date of 26th January 1872 of Phillip Wykeham Martin who died on the 31st May 1878. The title to the remaining part of lot 1 shall commence on 26th May 1893 and those of lot 4 and 5 on the 1st December 1875.

Source: Courtesy resident of Wootton

This page was last edited on: 26th January, 2022 17:50:39

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