Formerly called Quaker Lanes
The house is Grade II listed and it was listed on 18th July 1963
The house, Quaker Lanes, was built in the 17th & 18th century close on to the village street, built sideways to it, facing south and receiving the full sun at midday. Immediately to its north is the small house, built about the same time but standing further back, known to many now as The Old Post Office.
In the past the house had a long association with Quakers. As early as about 1654 there had been a strong Quaker element in Warborough and Shillingford when one Thomas Gilpin had been ‘convinced’ and had held meetings here, sometimes in his own house but when that was prevented, in a barn at Overy.
The Rev. Robert Coppock, then incumbent at Warborough, had many troubles and was particularly incensed when they refused to help repair the tower. In 1668 Thomas Gilpin and three others were excommunicated by the court but two years later the Quakers bought a house on the South side of the Green.
It was at this time that Edward Sharp, a weaver, and his wife Susannah were living in Quaker Lanes. They were both Quakers although Susannah was listed by the Clerk as attending church. Living within 150 yards of the church and 100 yards of the new meeting house they must have been closely involved with what was going on. However, in 1773 he sold the house to Joseph Ashby of Shillingford, also a weaver and a Quaker.
It is probable that from early times Quaker Lanes was a shop, and in 1799 Joseph Ashby sold the property to Robert & Stephen Green. At this time Joseph made a contract by which his niece Ann Green should have the use of the house when she married Joseph Sargood, himself a weaver, a Quaker, and a shopkeeper. It seems that the Quaker connection was kept on until at least 1837 when Ann Sargood died.
In 1842 the house was sold to John Waterman, a draper, and for many years it played a great part in providing clothing for the village. Waterman had his wife and niece working for him. He had bought the house for £200 and within seven years was able to pay off the mortgage. In 1861 census he has his niece working as an assistant in the shop. John died in 1862 and in 1870 Eliza, his widow, sold the house for £500 to William Bowl.
In the 1871 census, William is living with his wife Hannah and two nieces who are employed as a shop woman and a dressmaker. By 1881 William & Hannah have three children and also living with them are three ladies who are described as dressmaker, drapers’ assistants and servants. William died in 1889 and was buried in St Laurence Churchyard, Warborough. At the time of the 1891 census Hannah is still at the house/shop with four children and four boarders who are employed as dressmakers and servants.
The 1901 census shows Hannah with two of her children at home, Herbert is now a tailor. There are four boarders who are dressmakers and assistants. By 1911 the business appears to be easing and Hannah and Walter, a son, are living with one draper’s assistant and one general servant.
Hannah is still a draper with just one assistant in 1921.
Hannah died in 1924 leaving her estate to Herbert her son and Mabel Sarah who had married Henry Kay Fletcher.
Records held by Mr & Mrs A Tilley indicate that the property was leased by William Bowl leased in 1879 by to Mrs E J Pauling and Mrs Newton and sold in 1902 to Daniel Gould but data on the relevant census’ do not confirm that as the Bowls seem to be permanent residents through to 1924 when Hannah died.
The family of William and Hannah sold the house in 1928 to Mrs B Brooker and the 1939 register shows Bertha Brooker and a Mabel both listed as dressmakers.
In 1940 the house passes to G. E. R. Slade and at this time the plot of land which is now a tennis court was purchased from St Johns College to keep chickens.
A George Eric Rowland Slade lived in Sotwell House, Brightwell. He was a Civil Engineer and had a previous army record (which we are investigating) but perhaps he purchased it on behalf of the military because it is known that that the house was used during World War II
In September 1940 the house is occupied by Mr & Mrs Daniels.
Slade sold the house to Mrs Olive Conybeare in 1945 and this is when the house was given the name Quaker Lanes. Mrs Conybeare held Sunday School in the sitting room. William James Conybeare died in May 1955 and Olive died in August 1969.
In 1970 the house was sold to Mr Peter & Mrs Muriel Potter. Peter died in November 1995 and Muriel sold the house in 1998 to Mr A R & Mrs R C Tilley.
The house name was changed to Quaker House around 2012 to avoid confusion with the various delivery drivers. Alan & Chris believe the house address was originally No 6 Quaker Lane but then changed to 32 Thame Road at which time the name “Quaker Lanes” was given by the Potters
I would like to than Alan & Chris Tilley for the information they were able to give to this project as described below:
“We know that the original small, thatched cottage was built in 1670. That cottage is now incorporated into the house and is our dining room with a scullery behind it, an upstairs bedroom, and a family bathroom.
The front facing South is Georgian with a sitting room, a study and two large bedrooms upstairs. At the rear left and right of the scullery are two mid Victorian extensions, to the East a kitchen and family room with bedroom and bathroom upstairs and a rear hallway and entrance. To the West is a single storey laundry room adjacent to the road.
It is a mixture of styles with beams and exposed walls from the original cottage and some interesting features, fireplaces, and window seats elsewhere. The barn to the east is now our garden room. The seamstresses’ room above the “barn” is now our bathroom”.
Alan & Chris invited me to visit the house, which was fascinating and were kind enough to show me all over the house. It was useful to understand how this house has evolved from the two up two down C17 cottage it once was. Although modernised with changes to the kitchen and bathrooms the house still shows many original features.
The Drapers shop, which was accessed through the grounds of The Old Post Office next door was housed in what is now the kitchen. Adjoining this was a barn with oil tanks, the Tilley’s have incorporated this into the kitchen area. When they started work there was a ladder in the corner of this relatively small barn wing and further investigation revealed a small room above and in the corner an old sewing machine, where presumably the seamstress carried out alterations for customers of the drapers.
When they purchased the house the back wall appeared to have a bow in it which was picked up by the surveyor. Following completion of the purchase the Tilley’s sought the advice of a listed buildings consultant before making repairs to this wall and were told that the bow was ‘part of the listing’ and could not be changed. Work that followed was to the roof of the property with the insertion of a steel RSJ to relieve the weight of the roof from the wall. The thatched roof of the original cottage remains in place under the tiled roof that exists today.
The small guest room, currently used for grandchildren has a very low door and Alan & Chris’s grandchildren have, over the years, used this a rite of passage and having to duck is a cause for celebration. This window in the room is an example of an Oxfordshire Slider Window”
Sash window designs originated out of necessity rather than glamour. 17th C, streets were particularly overcrowded and narrow, so protruding windows would have caused havoc! The functionality and design of first the horizontal sash and the later developed vertical sash window, (consisting of two vertically sliding glazed sashes supported by weighted cords), made perfect sense and solved this problem easily. Standing the test of time, vertical sash windows and the box sash, have therefore become an important feature of our architectural history. Their success story spans over 250 years and is due to a sash window’s many qualities, including the ability to be finely adjusted to allow good ventilation, making them less susceptible to rot. Their aesthetic appeal and practicality meant wooden sash windows became hugely popular by the end of the 17th C and were soon coveted by the elite, becoming the fashion accessory of the day. (from Brother’s Joinery website)
In the ‘cottage’ section of the original flooring remains and damp proofing work revealed a lovely stone wall which has been left exposed in the now dining room.
As mentioned in regard to the Drapers shop there were small barns on both sides of the house and the second one has been modernised to provide a laundry room, all the while retaining the beam features and chimney breasts etc.
Researched by Lynda Raynor