XXIII.—HAMPSHIRE HOUSE AND HAMPSHIRE COTTAGE
Ground landlord, leaseholder, etc.
Hampshire House is held by copyhold tenure of the Manor of Fulham
by A. M. Naylor, Esq. The leaseholders are the Hampshire House Trust.
Hampshire Cottage belongs to the Rowland Hill Trustees.
General description and date of structure.
In 1776 Mr. Samuel Naylor, great-grandfather of the present copyholder, was admitted to this property on the surrender of Thomas Harrison,
the description at his subsequent surrender (1799) reading: "All that half
acre of land with the cottage thereon erected, heretofore in the occupation
of William Lloyd, afterwards of Mrs. Young, now of Samuel Naylor, being
formerly the estate of Matthew Portman." Although the house is referred
to as a cottage, the building must have been the same size as shown on
Plate 54, the word cottage being repeated—in the usual manner of the
entries in the Court Rolls—from earlier descriptions of the property. From
the appearance of this very delightful little Georgian house it would seem to
have been built in Samuel Naylor's time or even earlier, and probably took
the place of a smaller residence. It is a characteristic building of the 18th
century, with a two-storeyed brick front and tiled roof, the two chimneystacks being in the gables. In its recent enlargement and alteration for
the purposes of the Hampshire House Trust, its old features have been
carefully preserved. The photograph (Plate 54) was taken before the
alterations.
Hampshire Cottage stands between the house on the east and the
lane which it adjoins. It has original flush frames to its windows and a wood
blocked eaves cornice, which indicates a building of the late 17th century.
Just north of the cottage garden, in the wall adjoining Hampshire Hog Lane,
are the remains of a good wrought-iron gateway. The side panels of scrollwork and part of the overthrow, though much perished, are still to be seen,
and in the centre of the latter is a panel with the three letters W.A.C. interlaced in a monogram, the letter C being repeated (reversed) in the usual
way.
Hampshire Cottage was one of three copyhold messuages belonging
to Elizabeth Knight, who by will (dated 17th November, 1733) left her
freehold and copyhold property in trust for charitable purposes. The copyhold part of the estate was enfranchised in 1890 and is now administered by
the Rowland Hill Trustees.
Condition of repair.
Good.
Old prints, views, etc.
(fn. 1) Photograph, before alteration, by J. Charles.
In the Council's ms. collection are:
(fn. 1) Wrought-iron gateway (measured drawing).
(fn. 1) Monogram over gateway (full-size drawing).
MONOGRAM IN GATEWAY, HAMPSHIRE HOG LANE