My mum Rene (Alice Irene Flitney née Harding) died in 1999. When my brother, sister and I went through her things we found an envelope full of old newspaper clippings and other bits and pieces. We looked through the papers and put the envelope away, but those yellowing pieces of paper keep whispering of half-forgotten times and places. Places like Butlers Cross, Stoke Mandeville, Aylesbury, West Wycombe, Little Kimble, Wendover, Ellesborough, Southcourt and Princes Risborough.

Sunday 4 September 2016

A postcard and a visit to Well Manor Farm

Buckingham old postcard

You might wonder why I'm sharing this rather ordinary looking postcard.  The views of Buckingham (The Square and Town Hall, the old jail, the church of St. Peter and St. Paul, an old house, the River Ouse) are perfectly nice but not especially interesting. It’s neither very old nor rare, but it is special in that it opens a very small window into the past.


The postcard sent in 1960 is addressed to my parents Mr & Mrs D. Flitney (Rene and Denis), Well Manor Farm, Hampshire (UK).  I’ve not been back to Well for many years but the last time I visited it looked very much as it always has. It is one of those timeless places, and it is somewhere that will be forever dear to my heart.

Auntie Jean sent the card after she and her husband Graham, and their two boys spent a day or two at Well. I was twelve at the time but to be perfectly honest I have no recollection of the visit. The card, however, did bring back memories. This is what Aunty Jean wrote; 

We arrived back soon after 9 last evening, the mileage done was 67, so I think we travelled on the route you gave us OK.

We may have not needed to go through Henley, but the scenery was gorgeous and well worth the extra 2 or 3 miles.

We stopped for a drink at Twyford in the square and then came straight on. 

The stay was enjoyed all round and we know the boys loved it. Colin stayed awake after the first half hour, but was soon down to it when put to bed. I think he was determined not to miss anything on the route. 

Seeing those words all these years later reminded me of my dad. He loved to talk mileages and always had an opinion on the best or quickest route to or from anywhere.  I have a clear picture of him fetching his map books from the car and running his finger along the route while adding up the miles in his head. 

Naturally, I have no memories of Jean and Graham stopping in the square at Twyford, but it did bring back memories of days out with mum and dad.  

Most journeys started out with a stop at a transport café. Few families used them, but dad loved them.  A good strong cup of tea and a fry up would set him up for the rest of the journey.  The prices were usually low, the staff friendly and lorry drivers were always happy to chat. In my memory, every single conversation was the same – the best route, the number of miles and more importantly any traffic problems. This was in the days before mobile phones and the Internet so the only way to find out about these things was by word of mouth.

After a day spent with relatives or at the sea, we would set off for home and sooner or later dad would mention needing to ‘stretch his legs’. This was the signal for mum and I to start looking out for a decent pub. Those that appeared grubby or had shoddy paintwork would be rejected out of hand.  Those with five or six cars in the car park were deemed too busy. Eventually, we would find something that looked ‘nice’ and dad would pull in.   If it was a warm evening, we would sit in the garden, but more often than not they went inside while I waited in the car. After a few minutes, one of them would return with a bag of crisps and a fizzy drink. This was long before the drink driving ban, and they would often be an hour or more. Once fed and watered, we would be underway again.

The only part of the day I didn’t enjoy was the ‘eating up’ of the sandwiches. These were the leftovers from lunch, by now soggy and truly horrible. Dad would munch his way through a couple, but it was more than I could stand so I would say goodnight and take myself off to bed.  NB My brother married when I was quite young as did my sister. These recollections are of the time after they left home, prior to that all three of us would be in the car.

I don't have any photographs of Jean and Graham, but this is one of me as I must have looked when they visited. A note on the back reads Bobbie and Blacky. I don't think Blacky was our cat, so I'm guessing he belonged to the family who owned The Chequers Inn. 

Barbara Flitney at Well, Long Sutton, Hampshire

The Chequers Inn is to my right (out of the picture). The building behind me is Mulberry Cottage once the home of Old Bell Ridges. I don't know Bell's actual name, although I assume it must have been Bella or Annabelle. I have two clear memories of her. The first is that most of the children in the village (including me) were a little afraid of her because on nights when the moon was full she would stand in her garden and scream. The second is of her showing mum a collection of beautiful old-fashioned Valentine’s cards the type made from material and lace. Other than that Old Bell Ridges was and will probably remain a mystery to me. I do wonder how she would feel if she knew the house she once lived in now has a price tag of more than one million pounds.  

August, 2016. For my birthday this year Terry offered to take me to London, Bath, Bristol or anywhere else of my choosing - I chose to go back to Well.

The Chequers Inn, Well, Hook, Hants
The Chequers Inn, Well, Hampshire in August 2016.
The Chequers Inn, Well, Nr Long Sutton, Hook, Hants
The Chequers 

Well Manor Farm Cottages, Flitney Family, Well,  Hampshire
Well Manor Cottages a pair of semi-detached cottages and the place I grew up. We lived in the one on the right of the photograph. Mum and dad were incredibly proud of the garden and spent hours working on it.  (With thanks to my sister Sue for the photo)

Well Manor Farm Cottages, Dutch Barn, Cowshed, 1960s, Flitney Family, Hook, Hampshire
Looking in the opposite direction with the dutch barn and cowshed in the distance.

The same pair of cottages in 2011 this was some time after our parents died. 

Well Manor Farm Cottages, gone but not forgotten, Nr Long Sutton Hampshire
Aug 2016 - can you spot the difference?

The house where we lived has been completely flattened, the other half of the pair still stands but our home has gone. The only thing left is a gate and a mark in the grass where the path used to be.

Well Manor Farm Cottages, Well, Nr Long Sutton, Hampshire


Well Manor Farm, Well, Nr. Long Sutton, Hampshire
This photograph taken across the fields at the back of the farm might give you a clearer idea. Our house should be directly in line with the dead tree.  Most of the original farm buildings have also been knocked down and replaced.

 These buildings now stand where the dutch barn once stood. Progress? I guess so but I know which I prefer, although having said that most of the farm had fallen into disrepair in the intervening years. 

The back of the new barn.

Another of the new farm buildings

Much of the rest of the village looks almost exactly as it did...

Well, Lower Froyle, Crondall, Nr Basingstoke, Hampshire


Near The Chequers at Well, Hampshire
The cricket pitch used to be in the field beyond this fence, I have no idea why I felt it necessary to point that out!  I’m standing in front of one of my favourite trees and the one I used to climb at every opportunity.  As I've grown older, the tree has grown taller - I'm not sure I could climb it now, although I was tempted to try.

Well Manor Farm, Well, Nr Long Sutton, Hampshire
The field where the cricket pitch used to be. 

The well at Well, Nr Long Sutton Hampshire
The well at Well 

The well at Well, Nr Long Sutton Hampshire

William Fullerton who died at Well Manor, August 25th, 1888. The Well at Well.
This well is a gift to the inhabitants of the hamlet from William Fullerton who died at Well Manor, August 25th, 1888.

Cottage at Well, Nr Long Sutton, Hampshire
A family by the name of Biddlecombe lived here.  I believe Mr & Mrs Biddlecombe had a son and a daughter. The little girl and I used to play together until the awful day when she fell out of a tree and broke her collarbone. I wish I could remember her name – Janet perhaps?  She was a good two years younger than me so the day she fell I naturally got the blame.  I remember knocking on their front door the following day and her mother telling me exactly where to go!  That was the end of our friendship. I was seven at the time and have never forgotten the injustice of it all – although I did demonstrate how to hang upside down from a branch – so in hindsight it was entirely my fault – sorry Janet (if indeed that is your name).

Cottage at Well, Nr Long Sutton, Hampshire
I can't remember the name of the family who lived here, but I do remember singing Christmas Carols outside their front door. My sister was responsible for our little band of singers. She had the best voice, and it was left to her to decide on the carols and who should sing what. She had a passion for singing descant, and it was down to the rest of us to follow along with the basic melody.  Unfortunately, the moment she started singing I would find myself joining in.  I just could not get it right no matter how often and how hard we practised. We must have looked (and sounded) a raggle, taggle bunch when we arrived at this particular door, and I don’t think we were very welcome.

 The following photographs are of the woods and fields at Well Manor Farm.  I’m afraid I was trespassing at this point (Terry had gone to park the car – so he is not implicated in this!) I could not leave without walking these familiar paths and as requests left on the new farm owner’s blog had gone unanswered I decided to risk a telling off. 

Well Manor Farm, Well, Hook, Hampshire

Well Manor Farm, Well, Nr Long Sutton, Hampshire
Taking only pictures, leaving only footprints and a great big chunk of my heart

Well Manor Farm, Well, Hook, Hampshire

Well Manor Farm, Well, Nr Long Sutton, Hampshire

Well Manor Farm, Well, Hook, Hampshire

Well Manor Farm, Well, Nr Long Sutton, Hampshire

Woods at Well Manor Farm, Well, Nr Long Sutton, Hampshire

Well Manor Farm, Well, Hook, Hampshire

Road sign Well, Nr Long Sutton, Hampshire
I started off by saying I’ve not been back to Well for many years and the last time I visited it looked very much as it always has. However, time has indeed wrought changes at Well Manor Farm. Happily, the woods and fields are virtually unchanged.

Stored at the bottom of a box for more than fifty years Auntie Jean's postcard took me on a journey through my memories and reminded me it was time to go home.


11 comments:

  1. Lovely photo's and memories. Do not think that gate was there when Mum and Dad lived there what do you think? As to the cricket field that was where I met my first "boy friend" - think I was 14 when I met Dai Davies. He was playing cricket in The Lord Wansdworth College team. Met him after cricket 2 or 3 times, but Mama and Papa soon made it clear that a farm girl was not good enough to speak to their son! Went round those fields on Nobby, Mrs Biddlecombes horse, many times. Happy days.

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    1. Perhaps not Sue, I do remember mum constantly painting a gate – so there one. Actually looking at your photo, I think the gate is wood but in the photo from 2011 it is the metal one. I remember a boy from Lord Wandsworth – his nickname was mouse because his surname was Door, I don’t remember much else about him, and I don’t remember Dai, although I do remember you telling me about him. I forgot Nobby belonged to Mrs. Biddlecombe. I always thought you rode the horses on the farm. Memory is a funny thing. Some parts are really clear and others are like grasping at fog.

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  2. Yes, I used to ride all the Mathesons horses later on and I took Kerry out on a leading reign. You are right we had a green, I think, wooden gate. How funny leaving the wrought iron gate there. Must go to The Chequers one day. xx

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  3. Hi Barbara, How like my experience of returning to Lower Farm, Pitchcott, only to find that all the farm buildings had gone. The house was the same but with new garage and stables behind it. Your photos of Well remind me of happy times spent there and the generosity of your parents. There were just four fields to the farm at Pitchcott and as I could see them all from Carter's Lane and my memories had gone with the sheds I didn't stay long. There is so much more beauty to the fields at Well i can quite understand why you wanted to walk them again. A lovely insight into your past, thank you for sharing it and stirring my memories too. John

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    1. Hi John, I was quite upset when I saw what had happened to the house. It was brand new when we moved in so it can’t have been more than 65 years old, which seems very new for a house! They are going to build a very large house on the plot (I’ve seen the plans). I’m sure it will be beautiful, but it will never be home. Strangely enough the house will always be there in my mind so no real harm done. The woods and fields at Well are amazing, and the memories came flooding back as I walked them. I could almost here dad busy on his tractor! Apart from that it was just birdsong. I’ve always felt a strange possessiveness for Well Manor Farm and used to wish I could win the lottery and buy it – not now though, it is too remote. I would prefer somewhere with a few shops, possibly a doctor's surgery and maybe even a hospital! ;-) Barbara

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  4. What a visit. I would love to go back to the house I grew up in and walk the wooded paths behind the house. I checked on Google maps and the woods are still there. Interestingly though, our next door neighbor's house was gone. I remember the style was quick unusual. Perhaps the new owners of the land want something else.

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    1. Hello Tamara, my husband wasn’t keen on me going back because he suspected things would not be the same. I don’t regret it one bit though and feel very content to have seen it all (well most of it!) again. When we got home, I went back to Google and found it was five years out of date. That particular map has not been updated since 2011!
      I hope you do go back one day, and I hope you find things as you remember them. Barbara.

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  5. This is brilliant...just reading through the once,
    l'm gonna got make another lemon tea, and read it
    again in depth! Makes one reflect and think of ones
    own past...And, l'm certainly a person who lives in
    the past...! Meeting old friends and family, it's the
    same old questions..."Do you remember when"..and.."What
    ever happened to so and so"..HeHe! You can't Google things
    like that..! :).

    I've been often told..."Willie, you should write a book".
    But, then, l think most people could write a book of their
    lives and experiences...I know mine would have to be seriously
    edited..!!! "Nuff Said".

    As l said...l'm off to make another lemon tea, and pop back
    for another closer read and view the photos!
    This is lovely Barbara...Lovely!x

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    1. It’s lovely to see you over here Willie, thanks so much for visiting and leaving a comment. I live in the past too so it was quite a surprise to find a large chunk of my past had gone. No matter, mum and dad will always live in that house in my memory even though there is no longer a house. There will be soon though a massive 5 bed thing is going on that piece of land. It was such a surprise to find the old neighbours still in the house next door, I felt sure they would be in an old folks home or worse.
      Seeing and chatting to them sort of made up for things somehow. We’ve written to each other a couple of times since (they don’t have a computer) and a couple of weeks ago they sent some photos of my mum and dad. It was such a treat.

      You should write a book Willie – you have such an interesting tale to tell – far more interesting than anything I’ve done. Don’t edit it though; you will sell a ton more if you leave everything in!!

      Thanks again for coming over, it made my day seeing you here!

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  6. Hi. I’m Dee Sherratt neé Fennell. We lived in Well Farm House . My dad Clement Fennell was the vet .
    You lived next door to George and Ruby Spice ? Both gone now. My friend Helen Critchley , husband and children lived in the cottage opposite the pond house for a while . She grew up in Bosley House , 2 houses up from us . In between we had Mr and Mrs Spice. Plus Wilf the cow man. Peter Biddlecome was the lad in the cottage. Well hasnt changed apart from the The Manor House. We go back quite often when visiting Eileen Spice now living in Crondall . Previously lived in Chaffers Close LS. There were 4 of us Fennell children , Pip Simon Sharon and myself . Pop sadly died 4 years ago . Mums ashes are in LS cemetery Copse Lane Lovely to read your piece

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  7. Hello Dee
    How lovely to hear from you.
    We did indeed live next door to Ruby and George. I was there until I got married in 1970 but mum and dad stayed on a few years after that. I didn’t know about George by the way. How sad.
    I remember Helen – my mum cleaned for her for a short while and they became friends.
    I also remember Peter Biddlecome. We went to school together.
    My mum and dad are both buried in the cemetery in Long Sutton.
    We don’t go back to Well very often now because we live in Somerset and the drive is getting a bit much for my husband. I have fond memories of it though. It was quite a shock to go back and find that ‘our’ cottage was no longer there.
    Thank you so much for leaving this comment. Barbara

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I really appreciate your comment. Thank you!
Barbara x

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