El Vanin and Ranmore

Edward Wheatley built these two cottages in Lower Green in 1853 (along with Old Bakery).   They also bear the Bear and Ragged Staff crest of the Dudley family (used by Lord de Lisle).  It is likely that Lord de Lisle granted a building lease to Edward Wheatley and would have required the lessee to mark the cottages with his crest as the landlord.   Penshurst Estate also used George Devey from 1850 as their architect but these Lower green cottages are not Devey designed and the fact that they are marked with the Bear and Ragged Staff indicates that they were put up by a building developer on long lease.  A little further information on these cottages come from the 1872 Drainage Report and Map: at that time they were occupied by Mr Welford and Mr Steers.  They had a cesspool and a well and two closets with pans, but  not connected to drainage system.

As part of the Penshurst Estate properties in Leigh they were sold in 1921 – see 1921 Sales Particulars p. 20.  In the Sales Particulars they are described as a pair of brick and tiled cottages situate at Lower Green, Leigh and close to Lyghe Halt and embracing an area of about 27 perches.  They were let to Mr Harry Hitchcock and Mr William Blunt on quarterly tenancies.  Each cottage contained three bedrooms, sitting room, kitchen, wash-house and W.C.  Bakehouse shared.  Company’s Gas and Water laid on.

Both having recently been extended and modernized.

 

Joyce Field (Updated August 2021)