As it was raining again this morning, I decided to take the dogs for a walk up Manor Farm Road. First we go past what is now Water End House (formerly of The Red House). A nice job done here on the new fencing and frontage, it’s all looking very much nicer. Shortly past that we come to The Studio, which has recently changed hands. I have not yet met the new owners, so more of that anon. Further on up the road we come to the Mullings. Again new owners and over the period from the New Year until now a lot of work has been going on here. Most of it is round the back and inside so the frontage has not changed; just as well really, as this is in the Conservation Area! Again, a nice job on the work that they have done at the front, the main drive has been gravelled over and some new flowerbeds put in, along with new doors and windows – a nice job. Past the lovely old house that is now 1 & 2 Manor Farm Cottages. I’ll cover this property in more detail on another post but it is the oldest building in Waresley by quite a long way. It is a listed building (Grade 2) and was once a farmhouse. The listing, by English Heritage, shows it as being built around 1670. However, taking a longer look, it could well be considerably earlier.
On past Repton House, which has new owners whom, once again, I have not met as yet. This house takes its name from Humphry Repton who was responsible for the landscaping of the grounds of neighbouring Waresley Park, and some of the original trees still stand here. In the spring of 1792 Humphrey Repton was called in to advise on the improvement of ‘Waresley Park in Huntingdonshire, a Seat of William Needham Esq.’ The history of the old Waresley Park (not the current 1934 house) is a subject for another day, as there is a lot to say. So, walking on, we pass Manor Farm on the right with its wonderful thatched barn and horses grazing quietly in the field; a lovely rural feel. Passing the turning for West Close, on the left we have Farthingloe, which has recently undergone a huge transformation, with an extra storey over half the house and what looks like a new wing (well, almost!) and is now substantially bigger than it was before. It now also has a new name: “Elm House”.
It is now starting to rain heavily and so we walk on a little faster and we come up to the lovely pond at Home Farm with ducks, moorhens and a little duck-house floating happily. On round the bend past Tetworth Barn, which now has a lovely new slate roof, on past Lily Hill House, again with new owners, although not that recent, and walk on some distance to the Byway. A pause here for some doggy sniffing of the various, apparently interesting, deposits of unspeakable brown substances and we return the way we have come; somewhat wetter, but happier.
………..and so home for breakfast.
AWM