Two Post-Medieval Timberscombe Farmsteads: Heber Vale and the lost Allers (AKA as Alders)
Title
Two Post-Medieval Timberscombe Farmsteads: Heber Vale and the lost Allers (AKA as Alders)
Subject
Description
Heber Vale and Allers (which is often called "Alders" and sometimes seen as "Allders") were two farmsteads just northwest of the village of Timberscombe, as evident on the section of the 1844-1888 Ordnance Survey Map seen above. Both farmsteads are believed to have post-medieval origins, with the Historic Environment Record of the Exmoor National Park suggesting (with a question mark) that they were in operation by 1540 and that Allers was possibly deserted by 1900 (1). Historic England has suggested Allers was abandoned before the 1889 publication of the above map (2). If so, almost like a Somerset Brigadoon, Allers reappeared from time to time, with both of its dwellings populated by large families on the 1911 Census and other signs of a later occupation. The top photograph is Heber Vale, taken in 2020 and certainly still standing. The two lower photographs, also taken in 2020, depict the location where Allers once existed, with only a footbridge still in use-- a later version of the footbridge seen crossing the River Avill on the 1844-1888 map.
It has also been suggested that as early as the Lay Subsidy of 1327, Allers and Heber Vale were former estates of Burrow, the current hamlet between Wootton Courtenay and Timberscombe--but at a time when it would have been much larger (3).
Both farmsteads are clearly indicated on the 1843 Tithe Map of Timberscombe. At Allers, the larger house, depicted set among trees and divided into two sections (with a small addition on it' s northwestern side) was owned by William Floyde and occupied by John Bale (4). Mr. Floyde is likely the William Floyde born about 1796 in Timberscombe (5) and who on 22 November 1823 married Elizabeth Callaway (6). Mr. Floyde described his occupation as a Stone Mason (7) but was also a landlord at Allers and along with his wife, the proprietor of Lion Inn on the 1851 and 1861 Census, with Mr. Floyde continuing on in 1871 after the death of Mrs. Floyde. He is not to be confused with the William Floyde who at the same time was working as a blacksmith at the Old Forge--just across from The Lion.
John Bale, William Floyde's tenant at Allers in 1843 is presumably the same John Bale living there in 1861. Also a Stone Mason, he was born in Timberscombe around 1799 (8). By the end of 1846, Mr. Bale had a new landlord. While retaining ownership of the gardens (presumably including an orchard) at Allers, William Floyde sold the house to John Hurford (9), a Shoe Maker and his wife, Elizabeth (nee White) Hurford (10). Mr. Hurford died in June 1859 and was buried at St. Petrocks Church in Timberscombe (11).
On the map, a smaller rectangular dwelling, divided into two sections, is also at seen at the farmstead of Allers, situated alongside the river and near the footbridge. At the time of the 1843 Tithe Map, this property was owned by John Tudball, who occupied one half, with James White at the other (12). There were many John Tudbulls in and around Timberscombe at this point--he may be the John Tudbull who married Sarah Cole in 1844 and had moved by 1861 to Wales, where he died in 1883 (13). James White, who worked as a thatcher, was born in Luxborough in 1786 and married Elizabeth Hole of Timberscombe in 1811 (14). He died in 1855 (15)
The owner and occupier of Heber Vale in 1843 was James Webber, a Tailor who had been there since at least 1834 (16). He was born in Charlinch, Somerset in 1796 (17) and married Maria Yeandle in 1842 (18). Mr. Webber passed away at Timberscombe in 1871 (19).
By 1861, William and Mary Brown had moved into Heber Vale. He was a Gardener, born in 1823 and on the census, Mary, born at Dulverton in 1825, had herself listed as "Gardener's Wife". By this time, both Heber Vale and Allers had become part of the Knowle Estate, purchased by the Hole family, who by the mid 19th century owned more than a third of the land in the Timberscombe parish (20). Now all occupiers at both properties would have been tenants of the Knowle Estate .
Also on the 1861 Census, John Bale, now 62 years old, was listed as "Head" of his household at Alders (as Allers becomes more commonly called ), although it must have felt more crowded to him. He had been joined by Timberscombe's new 36 year old Police Constable, George Bartram, arriving with his wife, Charlotte Grace (nee Davey) Bartram and what would eventually be 10 daughters (only five are listed on the 1861 census) and one son. By the 1871 Census and 1881 Census, Mr. Bale had left Alders and was living as a lodger at other households in the village.
Possibly by 1871 and certainly by 1881, the Bartram family had left Alders, relocating down the track to Heber Vale, where Constable Bartram and his wife remained for rest of his career. Charlotte died in 1898 and George Bartram was still at Heber Vale on the 1901 Census, listed as "retired Police Constable", with only Henrietta, the youngest of his ten daughters, still at home. Bartram died at the age of 84 in 1909, when his "Abode" on the Burial Register was listed as Timberscombe, although now he might have been living with Henrietta. She had married Robert Coles in 1908 and they were running The Shop at the comfortably sized Combe House on Jubilee Terrace in Timberscombe (21). The Admission Register of the Timberscombe School recorded a Mr. Edwin Palmer living at Heber Vale when he registered his daughter, Emily, to begin classes on the 30th of January 1899. George Bartram was buried with his wife at St. Petrocks on 24 November 1909 (22).
At Alders, a Farm Labourer, Thomas Mogford and his wife, Eliza (nee Clatworthy, formerly Webber) Mogford had moved into the upper house by 1881. He was born at Old Cleeve in 1820 and they had married in 1876 at Cutcombe where Eliza was living. He was a widower and she a widow, aged 54 and 48, respectively (23). Thomas died in 1906 (24). Eliza passed away in 1913 at an Infirmary in Williton and was buried at St. Petrocks with her husband (25).
Mary (nee Cowling) Portman, a 52 year old widow who worked as a laundress, in 1881 was at the lower house alongside the river at Alders. Born in Wootton Courtenay in 1829, she had married Henry Portman, a Farm Labourer in 1851 (26). Mr. Portman died in 1858 (27), by which time there were three children, Jane, Emma and Thomas. Doubtlessly life was never easy for Mary after her husband's death. In 1861, she was with her children, lodging in Timberscombe with Martha Huxtable, listed as a Pauper. By 1871 Mary was with her 66 year old father, Nicolas Cowling, a Shephard living at Ford Cottage. She was listed living by herself at Alders, although her son, Thomas, used it as his address when he registered his son, Henry, for school in 1893 (28). And Mary Portman's daughter Jane, born in 1853, must have been with her. On the 1891 Census, Jane Portman, who never married, was listed as the laundress at Alders. Mary died 21 December 1897. Jane died six days later (29).
John Slade, originally from Luxborough, followed Thomas Mogford at Alders. Mr. Slade had married Elizabeth Webber, born in Timberscombe, the daughter of Robert Webber (30), in November 1886 (31). By the 1891 Census, they were at Alders with 2 year old Lucy and William John Slade, aged 11 months. In 1892, a second son, George Henry Slade, was born at Alders. All three children attended the Timberscombe school, all three admitted on the first of April 1896 (32)
By 1901 the Slade family had moved to Great House Street in Timberscombe, seemingly living at the cottage later named Slade Cottage. Both William and George Henry are still there with their parents in 1911, aged 20 and 19 and working as General Labourers. Around the time of the outbreak of World War I, both young men had relocated. William enlisted with the Royal Garrison Artillery, where his address was given as Grove, Elcombe, Minehead (33). George Henry was listed as being at Alcombe when he became a member of the Princess Charlotte of Wales, Royal Berkshire Regiment (34). William survived the war and his name is listed as serving, on the World War I Memorial Plaque at St. Petrocks Church in Timberscombe. George Henry was killed in battle on 27 February 1917, aged 25. He was buried at Fauberg-d'Amiens Cemetery at Arras, France (35). He is not mentioned on the plaque at St. Petrock's.
"Slade, GH" is inscribed on the Minehead Memorial at the summit of Michael's Hill, Martlet Road at Minehead. Yet as a boy born in Timberscombe, raised there until his brief adulthood, who never married and had his effects returned to his father in Timberscombe (36 and as pictured above) and whose brother is rightfully listed on the Timberscombe Memorial, his name missing seems an oversight.
After the death of Mary and Jane Portman, 68 year old Mary Hole occupied their house at Alders. She had formerly lived at Beasley Farm where her husband, George Hole had worked as a Farm Labourer, before his death in 1896 (37). On the 1901 Census, Mrs. Hole's 25 year old son, John, also a Farm Labourer, lived with her at Alders.
At the upper house was 66 year old Robert Sedgebeer. (Not surprisingly , over the years there are variations of this surname. On the Timberscombe censuses, this man is often "Robert Sedgbeer". Most of his family, past and present, seem to use "Sedgebeer".) Mr. Sedgebeer lived at Alders by himself, although he listed himself as "Married". In 1901 his wife, Ann (nee Hooper) Sedgebeer, was alive and in Bristol, where she lived with their son, Henry-- and listed herself as "Widowed". Their other son, Herbert, had moved to Neath, Glamorgan, Wales but returned to Timberscombe in 1903 to register his daughter, the wonderfully named Vivo May Annie Sedgebeer, at the Timberscombe School, where her address is given as "Alders". Herbert Sedgebeer returned in 1905 to register another daughter, Jessie, also listed as living at Alders. In 1909 the school records Jessie as having "Left Village", presumably moving to Minehead where her father now worked as a Building Labourer (38).
By the 1911 Census, Mary Hole and her son had moved to Cowbridge where John now worked as a Fish Monger. Interestingly, living next door was Robert Sedgebeer, also moved to Cowbridge, still alone and still listed as "Married". Mrs. Hole died in 1914 (39) and Mr. Sedgebeer died in 1917 (40).
Two large families inhabited Alders in 1911. On the 9th of May 1911, W. William Webber brought his four year old daughter, Mabel, to register her at Timberscombe School, where his address was listed as "Alders bot." (41), indicating his family was in the smaller house by the river. Mr. Webber was a 32 year old Farm Labourer, born in Timberscombe. His wife was the former Alice Gould and Mabel was the fifth of six children. At the other house was Thomas Yeandle, 55 years old, also born in Timberscombe, although he and his wife, Frances (nee Jones) Yeandle had been in Allerford, where he worked as a General Labourer. In 1911 they had five children with them at Alders.
The Gooding family was at Heber Vale. Walter Gooding was also born in Timberscombe. He and his wife, Emma (nee Winter) Gooding had seven children in 1911. They are at Heber Vale in May 1915, when the youngest of the seven, Elsie, was admitted to the Timberscombe School They may have moved by August 1915 when Harry Prole was admitted, with Heber Vale listed as his address (42). His father, also Harry Prole, like Walter Gooding was a Farm Labourer, men who often had to move their families from one job to another.
On the 20th of July 1916, the Knowle Estate was divided into lots and sold at Public Auction. Lot No. 25 was Heber Vale, described in the Sales Particulars as "A Stone and Slate Roof Cottage", with a Kitchen with a grate, a Back Kitchen and Pump House, Two Bedrooms and a large Attic Room. A large garden was in the back, with assorted OutBuildings. Two Closes of Meadows and Orchard Land were included in the lot. At the time of the auction a Mr. R. Baker was letting the house and garden, with Mr. T. White working the lands. Heber Vale was sold for £135. Mr. Baker was likely Robert Baker who briefly moved his family into the new apartment house, Rosemont on Brook Street in Timberscombe, in 1917 or the beginning of 1918 (43).
Lot 26 was "Two Detached Freehold Cottages", and was again identified as Allers. "No. 1 Cottage" was built of Stone with a slate roof, Four Rooms with a Wash House and furnace and Large Garden. It was currently being let to Mr. R. Yandle. "No. 2 Cottage" was similarly built, with Four Rooms and Large Garden and was currently "void". Both houses and the orchard were bought by a Mr. Trim for £100 (44).
It is not clear when Allers was truly abandoned. It appears that in 1918 it was at least partially occupied by the gipsy families of James and John Holland, who would later live at Hole's Square in Timberscombe. It also appears that Ernest and Rosina (nee Chapman) Clatworthy were living at Allers in 1918 when their son, William Ernest Clatworthy started school at Timberscombe in 1918 (45). In both 1947 and 1971, aerial photographs still showed the remains of buildings and traces of the track that linked Allers to Heber Vale (46). In 2020, the track could still be imagined but there was no sign of buildings. The area appeared beautiful but damp, which apparently was always a concern. Over the years, the Timberscombe School Log Book had many entries of children from Heber Vale and Allers not able to attend school because of their flooded meadows. An example is the 18th of October 1872 when Schoolmaster Thomas Charles Packer wrote "Two Bartrams not able to attend--the water being overflowed from the river "(47).
In April 2021, the St. Petrock's History Group presented a newsletter about Allers and one of the group's founding members, Owen Rush, the owner of the nearby Cowbridge Mill came forward with information about the former farmsteads and why there were no signs of their existence. He recalled that in September of 2009 he had assisted the current owners of Wanneroo Farm to excavate "most of the stone from the former Allers". Mr. Rush had seen the second photograph visible above and identified "the tree on the left of your photo of the new bridge" as the "mature tree growing out of the Mound where we were excavating" and as the site where the remains of Allers had been buried. The owners of Wanneroo wished to salvage "the larger Quions, corner stones and lintels" to use in building raised beds for their gardens. For his help, Mr Rush was given the remainder, which was "many tons", and which "now form the outer skin of the new Forge, Workshop and Museum building", which he constucted at Cowbridge Mill in 2010 and 2011. More the the remains of Allers was utilized on Cowbridge Mill's Site Boundary and internal walling. In a sense, Allers was not lost but remains recycled within another historic structure (48).
It has also been suggested that as early as the Lay Subsidy of 1327, Allers and Heber Vale were former estates of Burrow, the current hamlet between Wootton Courtenay and Timberscombe--but at a time when it would have been much larger (3).
Both farmsteads are clearly indicated on the 1843 Tithe Map of Timberscombe. At Allers, the larger house, depicted set among trees and divided into two sections (with a small addition on it' s northwestern side) was owned by William Floyde and occupied by John Bale (4). Mr. Floyde is likely the William Floyde born about 1796 in Timberscombe (5) and who on 22 November 1823 married Elizabeth Callaway (6). Mr. Floyde described his occupation as a Stone Mason (7) but was also a landlord at Allers and along with his wife, the proprietor of Lion Inn on the 1851 and 1861 Census, with Mr. Floyde continuing on in 1871 after the death of Mrs. Floyde. He is not to be confused with the William Floyde who at the same time was working as a blacksmith at the Old Forge--just across from The Lion.
John Bale, William Floyde's tenant at Allers in 1843 is presumably the same John Bale living there in 1861. Also a Stone Mason, he was born in Timberscombe around 1799 (8). By the end of 1846, Mr. Bale had a new landlord. While retaining ownership of the gardens (presumably including an orchard) at Allers, William Floyde sold the house to John Hurford (9), a Shoe Maker and his wife, Elizabeth (nee White) Hurford (10). Mr. Hurford died in June 1859 and was buried at St. Petrocks Church in Timberscombe (11).
On the map, a smaller rectangular dwelling, divided into two sections, is also at seen at the farmstead of Allers, situated alongside the river and near the footbridge. At the time of the 1843 Tithe Map, this property was owned by John Tudball, who occupied one half, with James White at the other (12). There were many John Tudbulls in and around Timberscombe at this point--he may be the John Tudbull who married Sarah Cole in 1844 and had moved by 1861 to Wales, where he died in 1883 (13). James White, who worked as a thatcher, was born in Luxborough in 1786 and married Elizabeth Hole of Timberscombe in 1811 (14). He died in 1855 (15)
The owner and occupier of Heber Vale in 1843 was James Webber, a Tailor who had been there since at least 1834 (16). He was born in Charlinch, Somerset in 1796 (17) and married Maria Yeandle in 1842 (18). Mr. Webber passed away at Timberscombe in 1871 (19).
By 1861, William and Mary Brown had moved into Heber Vale. He was a Gardener, born in 1823 and on the census, Mary, born at Dulverton in 1825, had herself listed as "Gardener's Wife". By this time, both Heber Vale and Allers had become part of the Knowle Estate, purchased by the Hole family, who by the mid 19th century owned more than a third of the land in the Timberscombe parish (20). Now all occupiers at both properties would have been tenants of the Knowle Estate .
Also on the 1861 Census, John Bale, now 62 years old, was listed as "Head" of his household at Alders (as Allers becomes more commonly called ), although it must have felt more crowded to him. He had been joined by Timberscombe's new 36 year old Police Constable, George Bartram, arriving with his wife, Charlotte Grace (nee Davey) Bartram and what would eventually be 10 daughters (only five are listed on the 1861 census) and one son. By the 1871 Census and 1881 Census, Mr. Bale had left Alders and was living as a lodger at other households in the village.
Possibly by 1871 and certainly by 1881, the Bartram family had left Alders, relocating down the track to Heber Vale, where Constable Bartram and his wife remained for rest of his career. Charlotte died in 1898 and George Bartram was still at Heber Vale on the 1901 Census, listed as "retired Police Constable", with only Henrietta, the youngest of his ten daughters, still at home. Bartram died at the age of 84 in 1909, when his "Abode" on the Burial Register was listed as Timberscombe, although now he might have been living with Henrietta. She had married Robert Coles in 1908 and they were running The Shop at the comfortably sized Combe House on Jubilee Terrace in Timberscombe (21). The Admission Register of the Timberscombe School recorded a Mr. Edwin Palmer living at Heber Vale when he registered his daughter, Emily, to begin classes on the 30th of January 1899. George Bartram was buried with his wife at St. Petrocks on 24 November 1909 (22).
At Alders, a Farm Labourer, Thomas Mogford and his wife, Eliza (nee Clatworthy, formerly Webber) Mogford had moved into the upper house by 1881. He was born at Old Cleeve in 1820 and they had married in 1876 at Cutcombe where Eliza was living. He was a widower and she a widow, aged 54 and 48, respectively (23). Thomas died in 1906 (24). Eliza passed away in 1913 at an Infirmary in Williton and was buried at St. Petrocks with her husband (25).
Mary (nee Cowling) Portman, a 52 year old widow who worked as a laundress, in 1881 was at the lower house alongside the river at Alders. Born in Wootton Courtenay in 1829, she had married Henry Portman, a Farm Labourer in 1851 (26). Mr. Portman died in 1858 (27), by which time there were three children, Jane, Emma and Thomas. Doubtlessly life was never easy for Mary after her husband's death. In 1861, she was with her children, lodging in Timberscombe with Martha Huxtable, listed as a Pauper. By 1871 Mary was with her 66 year old father, Nicolas Cowling, a Shephard living at Ford Cottage. She was listed living by herself at Alders, although her son, Thomas, used it as his address when he registered his son, Henry, for school in 1893 (28). And Mary Portman's daughter Jane, born in 1853, must have been with her. On the 1891 Census, Jane Portman, who never married, was listed as the laundress at Alders. Mary died 21 December 1897. Jane died six days later (29).
John Slade, originally from Luxborough, followed Thomas Mogford at Alders. Mr. Slade had married Elizabeth Webber, born in Timberscombe, the daughter of Robert Webber (30), in November 1886 (31). By the 1891 Census, they were at Alders with 2 year old Lucy and William John Slade, aged 11 months. In 1892, a second son, George Henry Slade, was born at Alders. All three children attended the Timberscombe school, all three admitted on the first of April 1896 (32)
By 1901 the Slade family had moved to Great House Street in Timberscombe, seemingly living at the cottage later named Slade Cottage. Both William and George Henry are still there with their parents in 1911, aged 20 and 19 and working as General Labourers. Around the time of the outbreak of World War I, both young men had relocated. William enlisted with the Royal Garrison Artillery, where his address was given as Grove, Elcombe, Minehead (33). George Henry was listed as being at Alcombe when he became a member of the Princess Charlotte of Wales, Royal Berkshire Regiment (34). William survived the war and his name is listed as serving, on the World War I Memorial Plaque at St. Petrocks Church in Timberscombe. George Henry was killed in battle on 27 February 1917, aged 25. He was buried at Fauberg-d'Amiens Cemetery at Arras, France (35). He is not mentioned on the plaque at St. Petrock's.
"Slade, GH" is inscribed on the Minehead Memorial at the summit of Michael's Hill, Martlet Road at Minehead. Yet as a boy born in Timberscombe, raised there until his brief adulthood, who never married and had his effects returned to his father in Timberscombe (36 and as pictured above) and whose brother is rightfully listed on the Timberscombe Memorial, his name missing seems an oversight.
After the death of Mary and Jane Portman, 68 year old Mary Hole occupied their house at Alders. She had formerly lived at Beasley Farm where her husband, George Hole had worked as a Farm Labourer, before his death in 1896 (37). On the 1901 Census, Mrs. Hole's 25 year old son, John, also a Farm Labourer, lived with her at Alders.
At the upper house was 66 year old Robert Sedgebeer. (Not surprisingly , over the years there are variations of this surname. On the Timberscombe censuses, this man is often "Robert Sedgbeer". Most of his family, past and present, seem to use "Sedgebeer".) Mr. Sedgebeer lived at Alders by himself, although he listed himself as "Married". In 1901 his wife, Ann (nee Hooper) Sedgebeer, was alive and in Bristol, where she lived with their son, Henry-- and listed herself as "Widowed". Their other son, Herbert, had moved to Neath, Glamorgan, Wales but returned to Timberscombe in 1903 to register his daughter, the wonderfully named Vivo May Annie Sedgebeer, at the Timberscombe School, where her address is given as "Alders". Herbert Sedgebeer returned in 1905 to register another daughter, Jessie, also listed as living at Alders. In 1909 the school records Jessie as having "Left Village", presumably moving to Minehead where her father now worked as a Building Labourer (38).
By the 1911 Census, Mary Hole and her son had moved to Cowbridge where John now worked as a Fish Monger. Interestingly, living next door was Robert Sedgebeer, also moved to Cowbridge, still alone and still listed as "Married". Mrs. Hole died in 1914 (39) and Mr. Sedgebeer died in 1917 (40).
Two large families inhabited Alders in 1911. On the 9th of May 1911, W. William Webber brought his four year old daughter, Mabel, to register her at Timberscombe School, where his address was listed as "Alders bot." (41), indicating his family was in the smaller house by the river. Mr. Webber was a 32 year old Farm Labourer, born in Timberscombe. His wife was the former Alice Gould and Mabel was the fifth of six children. At the other house was Thomas Yeandle, 55 years old, also born in Timberscombe, although he and his wife, Frances (nee Jones) Yeandle had been in Allerford, where he worked as a General Labourer. In 1911 they had five children with them at Alders.
The Gooding family was at Heber Vale. Walter Gooding was also born in Timberscombe. He and his wife, Emma (nee Winter) Gooding had seven children in 1911. They are at Heber Vale in May 1915, when the youngest of the seven, Elsie, was admitted to the Timberscombe School They may have moved by August 1915 when Harry Prole was admitted, with Heber Vale listed as his address (42). His father, also Harry Prole, like Walter Gooding was a Farm Labourer, men who often had to move their families from one job to another.
On the 20th of July 1916, the Knowle Estate was divided into lots and sold at Public Auction. Lot No. 25 was Heber Vale, described in the Sales Particulars as "A Stone and Slate Roof Cottage", with a Kitchen with a grate, a Back Kitchen and Pump House, Two Bedrooms and a large Attic Room. A large garden was in the back, with assorted OutBuildings. Two Closes of Meadows and Orchard Land were included in the lot. At the time of the auction a Mr. R. Baker was letting the house and garden, with Mr. T. White working the lands. Heber Vale was sold for £135. Mr. Baker was likely Robert Baker who briefly moved his family into the new apartment house, Rosemont on Brook Street in Timberscombe, in 1917 or the beginning of 1918 (43).
Lot 26 was "Two Detached Freehold Cottages", and was again identified as Allers. "No. 1 Cottage" was built of Stone with a slate roof, Four Rooms with a Wash House and furnace and Large Garden. It was currently being let to Mr. R. Yandle. "No. 2 Cottage" was similarly built, with Four Rooms and Large Garden and was currently "void". Both houses and the orchard were bought by a Mr. Trim for £100 (44).
It is not clear when Allers was truly abandoned. It appears that in 1918 it was at least partially occupied by the gipsy families of James and John Holland, who would later live at Hole's Square in Timberscombe. It also appears that Ernest and Rosina (nee Chapman) Clatworthy were living at Allers in 1918 when their son, William Ernest Clatworthy started school at Timberscombe in 1918 (45). In both 1947 and 1971, aerial photographs still showed the remains of buildings and traces of the track that linked Allers to Heber Vale (46). In 2020, the track could still be imagined but there was no sign of buildings. The area appeared beautiful but damp, which apparently was always a concern. Over the years, the Timberscombe School Log Book had many entries of children from Heber Vale and Allers not able to attend school because of their flooded meadows. An example is the 18th of October 1872 when Schoolmaster Thomas Charles Packer wrote "Two Bartrams not able to attend--the water being overflowed from the river "(47).
In April 2021, the St. Petrock's History Group presented a newsletter about Allers and one of the group's founding members, Owen Rush, the owner of the nearby Cowbridge Mill came forward with information about the former farmsteads and why there were no signs of their existence. He recalled that in September of 2009 he had assisted the current owners of Wanneroo Farm to excavate "most of the stone from the former Allers". Mr. Rush had seen the second photograph visible above and identified "the tree on the left of your photo of the new bridge" as the "mature tree growing out of the Mound where we were excavating" and as the site where the remains of Allers had been buried. The owners of Wanneroo wished to salvage "the larger Quions, corner stones and lintels" to use in building raised beds for their gardens. For his help, Mr Rush was given the remainder, which was "many tons", and which "now form the outer skin of the new Forge, Workshop and Museum building", which he constucted at Cowbridge Mill in 2010 and 2011. More the the remains of Allers was utilized on Cowbridge Mill's Site Boundary and internal walling. In a sense, Allers was not lost but remains recycled within another historic structure (48).
Creator
Thomas Sperling (the photographs)
1844-1888 Ordnance Survey Map, British Library & National Library of Scotland (map detail)
UK, Army Register of Soldier's Effects, 1914-1923 (detail concerning the effects of George Henry Slade)
1844-1888 Ordnance Survey Map, British Library & National Library of Scotland (map detail)
UK, Army Register of Soldier's Effects, 1914-1923 (detail concerning the effects of George Henry Slade)
Publisher
British Library & National Library of Scotland (map detail)
UK, Army Register of Soldier's Effects, 1914-1923 (detail concerning the effects of George Henry Slade)
UK, Army Register of Soldier's Effects, 1914-1923 (detail concerning the effects of George Henry Slade)
Date
2020
2020
2020
1844-1888
5 July 1919
2020
2020
1844-1888
5 July 1919
Contributor
Format
Language
English
Identifier
2020 photographs of Heber Vale and the site of Allers / detail of 1844-1888 Ordnance Survey Map depictions of Heber Vale and Allers / Detail of the Effects Register of George Henry Slade (1891-1917)
Acquisition Date
2020
2021
2021
Acquisition Method
research
Category
PLACES: Cottages
Condition
Good
Condition Notes
entered by Tom Sperling
Condition Date
2021
Dimension Type
W X L
Dimension Units
cm
Dimension Value
11 X 14.5 (PHOTOGRAPHS)
8.5 X 11.5 (PROPERTIES)
11x 15.5 (PHOTOGRAPHS)
8.5 X 12 (PROPERTIES)
8.5 X 10.5 (PHOTOGRAPHS)
8.5 X 11.5 (PROPERTIES)
11x 15.5 (PHOTOGRAPHS)
8.5 X 12 (PROPERTIES)
8.5 X 10.5 (PHOTOGRAPHS)
Institution Name
St. Petrock's History Group
Notes
(1) Historic Environment Record, Exmoor National Park, MSO8331 (2) HistoricEngland.com (3) Historic Environment Record, Exmoor National Park, MSO8310, 1844 Tithe Map of Wootton Courtenay and "Deserted Farms on Exmoor and the Lay Subsidy of 1327 in West Somerset", by Mick Aston, 1983, Proceedings of the Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society (4) HER, MSO8331 (5) 1841 England Census (6) Somerset, England, Marriage Registers, Bonds and Allegations, 1754-1914 (7) 1851 England Census, 1861 England Census, 1871 England Census and Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, 1813-1914 (8) 1861 England Census (9) UK, Poll Books and Electoral Registers, 1538-1893 (10) 1851 England Census (11) UK and Ireland, Find A Grave Index, 1300s-Current (12) HER, MSO8331 and UK, Poll Books and Electoral Registers, 1538-1893 (13) England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915 and England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1837-1915 (14) England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975 and Somerset, England, Marriage Registers, Bonds and Allegations, 1754-1914 (15) England, Select Burials, 1813-1914 (16) UK, Poll Books and Electoral Registers, 1538-1893 (17) Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1531-1812 (18) Somerset, England, Marriage Registers, Bonds and Allegations, 1754-1914 (19) England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1837-1915 and UK and Ireland, Find A Grave Index, 1300s-Current (20) VictoriaCountyHistory.ac.uk (21) England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915 and 1911 England Census (22) UK and Ireland, Find A Grave Index, 1300s-Current and Somerset, England, Church of England Burials, 1813-1914 (23) Somerset, England, Marriage Registers, Bonds and Allegations, 1754-1914 and 1861 England Census (24) England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1837-1915 (25) Somerset, England, Church of England Burials, 1813-1914 (26) Somerset, England, Marriage Registers, Bonds and Allegations, 1754-1914 and 1891 England Census (27) UK and Ireland, Find A Grave Index, 1300s-Current (28) Timberscombe School ADMISSION REGISTER, 1892-1944, No. 1 (29) England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations) 1854-1995 (30) 1861 England Census, 1871 England Census and 1881 England Census (31) Somerset, England, Marriage Registers, Bonds and Allegations, 1754-1914 (32) Timberscombe School ADMISSION REGISTER, Nos. 45, 52 and 60 (33) UK, World War I Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923 (34) England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations) 1854-1994 (35) Global, Find A Grave Index for Burials at Sea and other Select Burial Locations, 1300s-Current (36) UK, Army Register of Soldier's Effects, 1914-1923 (37) Somerset, England, Church of England Burials, 1813-1914 (38) Timberscombe School ADMISSION REGISTER, No. 168 (39) England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1837-1915 (40) England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007 (41) Timberscombe School ADMISSION REGISTER, No. 283 (41) Timberscombe School ADMISSION REGISTER, Nos. 361, 362 and 364 (42) Timberscombe School ADMISSION REGISTER, Nos. 318 and 321 (43) Timberscombe School ADMISSION REGISTER, No. 347 (44) "THE KNOWLE ESTATE, DUNSTER, SOMERSET", the Sales Particulars Booklet of The Knowle Estate, as prepared by Messrs. W. R. J. Greenslade & Co. of Taunton and Wellington for the Public Auction of the Knowle Estate on Thursday, July 20th 1916, Lot 25 on page 41 and Lot 26 on page 42, with the sale price handwritten at the top of each lot, likely written by Samuel Grabham, as saved by his son, Kenneth Grabham, who gave it to his friend, Derrick Poole who left it to his daughter, Angie Gummer, who shared it with the St. Petrock's History Group in 2019 (45) Timberscombe School ADMISSION REGISTER, Nos. 361, 362, 364, 365,368, and 369 (46)HER, MSO8331 (47) Timberscombe School LOG BOOK, 8 March 1872-31 August 1892, page 11 (48) All words within quotes are taken directly from the email sent by Owen Rush to Marion Jeffrey in April 2021, which he kindly allowed to be used here. The entire email is archived in "HEBER VALE AND THE LOST ALLERS", published that month by the St. Petrock's History Group.
Storage Location
St. Petrock's History Group Archive
Storage Date
2021
Storage Notes
St. Petrock's History Group PROPERTIES
Item Reference
SP-160
Technique
Copies
Citation
Thomas Sperling (the photographs)
1844-1888 Ordnance Survey Map, British Library & National Library of Scotland (map detail)
UK, Army Register of Soldier's Effects, 1914-1923 (detail concerning the effects of George Henry Slade), “Two Post-Medieval Timberscombe Farmsteads: Heber Vale and the lost Allers (AKA as Alders),” St. Petrock's History Group, accessed May 5, 2024, https://stpetrockshistorygroup.omeka.net/items/show/3450.
Comments