The Willows, Low Common

Contents

Introduction

Although the house known as “The Willows” was built relatively recently – 1974 – it is still possible to trace the history of the land on which it was built back well before that time.

1814 Inclosures

The text accompanying the Inclosures awards effective in 1814 describes the land eventually used for “The Willows” as follows:

And we assign, set out and allot unto [no forename recorded] Phenix the Widow and devisee of Bartholomew Phenix deceased the two pieces of Land hereinafter described which the said Bartholomew so as aforesaid purchased of us, namely:
First … piece no 20 …
Second one other piece of Land late parcel of the Low Common also containing two acres and two roods lying on the North side of the said Lot 7 marked on the Map hereto annexed No. 18, bounded by Land late belonging to Aaron Lane and now allotted to Isaac Easton in part North and in part West, by land sold by us by William Jolly on the remaining part of the North, by other part of the said Low Common allotted to the said Isaac Easton, East, by the remainder of the said Lot 7 purchased of us by the said Isaac Easton on his own account South, and by the third Public Road on the remaining part of the West.

1843 Tithe Map

Unfortunately there is damage to this map in the area of interest, but the layout of the land is readily identifiable; the piece of interest is numbered 146:

The text that accompanies this map shows that this piece was a part of the estate of John Dobbs; this particular arable field was known as the “Hatchet Allotment” and was occupied by Henry London. The area of 2 acres, 2 roods & 9 perches corresponds with measurements shown below.
John Dobbs lived at piece no 163 which is on the site of what became the Victoria Inn.

September 25th 1903 – Purchased at Auction by Mr. Wigby

The auction of the Victoria Inn on September 25^th1903 included as lot 3 (pieces 344 & 345 on the Ordnance Survey map extract below) the land on which “The Willows” was later to be built. The land was bought by Arthur Wigby of Wicklewood, Dealer. He purchased all four of the plots outlined below (i.e. lots 2 & 3) for for £72 10s.

The above is reproduced by permission of the Wymondham Archive.

Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland

August 14th 1916 – Sale to Mr. Palmer

The Indenture of this date recorded the sale by
– Charles William Wallwork of No. 3 Brunswick Square, Bristol but then of No. 31, Campo Lane, Sheffield, Church Army Labour House Manager
to
– John William Palmer of St. Mary’s Rd, Thetford, Engineers Moulder
The sale price was £67 10s.
The property was described as follows referring again to the 1814 identifications:

ALL THOSE the pieces or parcels of freehold land (formerly in one piece) late parcel of Low Common of Deopham in the County of Norfolk containing together 2 acres and 2 roods marked on the Map annexed to the Award of the Commissioners for enclosing lands in Deopham No. 20, bounded by land sold by the the said Commissioners to Isaac Easton, North, by or part of the said Low Common allotted to the said Isaac Easton, East, by land purchased of the said Commissioners by Bartholomew Phoenix as agent for Taylor Phoenix, South, and by the Public Road, West;
AND ALSO ALL THOSE two pieces or parcels of freehold land (formerly in one piece) containing together 2 acres and 2 roods marked on the said map No. 18 bounded by and late belonging to Aaron Lane and allotted to the said Isaac Easton in part North and part West by land sold by the said Commissioners to William Jolly on the remaining part of the North, by or part of the said Low Common allotted to the said Isaac Easton, East, by land purchased of the said Commissioners by the said Isaac Easton, South, and by the third Public Road in the remaining part of the West;
All which said hereditaments were then in the occupation of Nickalls.

April 21st 1965 – Sale to Ruth Vine Downes

John William Palmer of Ivy Farm, Deopham, died April 8^th 1942. By his will, Alice Maud Palmer was named as Executrix, and duly appointed on June 3^rd 1942 by the Probate Registry. However, when Alice Maud Palmer died on July 1^st 1964 she had still not completed the administration of the will of John William Palmer.
John William Palmer left two children who then became the beneficiaries of his will, as named below.

The conveyance recorded the sale by
– Elizabeth Alice Violet Palmer, Spinster, of 53, Alford Grove, Sprowston and
Ruth Vine Downes, married woman (née Palmer), of “The Paddock”, Deopham, Married Woman
(The Trustees)
– the said Elizabeth Alice Violet Palmer and the said Ruth Vine Downes
(The Beneficiaries)
to
– the said Ruth Vine Downes
(The Purchaser)

The sale price was £75.
The property was described as:

ALL THOSE four pieces or parcels of land situate at Deopham being enclosures Numbers 344 345 338 and 339 on the Ordnance Survey Map for the said Parish (1906 second edition) containing together 5.139 acres or thereabouts as the same are for the purpose of identification only and not by way of limitation delineated on the plan annexed hereto and thereon edged with the colour pink,
TO HOLD the same unto the Purchaser in fee simple for her own absolute benefit discharged from the trusts and provisions of the said Will.

At this time the land on which The Willows was later built included the two fields behind – numbers 344 & 345 on this map, as well as the land on which the neighbouring Belsfield Lodge was later constructed.
The second plot in this sale (nos 338 & 339 on the map) would be where Sunny Lodge, Palm Croft & Stone Beck were later built.

November 8th 1972 – Sale to Mr. Bridgman

The conveyance recorded the sale by
– Ruth Vine Downes of the Paddock, Deopham
to
William Albert Bridgman of 47a, Hillhouse Drive, Billericay, Essex.
the selling price was £2,875.
The property was described as:

ALL THAT piece of freehold land situate fronting to Low Common Deopham in the County of Norfolk having a frontage thereto of forty five feet or thereabouts a depth therefrom of One hundred and thirty feet or thereabouts and a width at the rear of thirty five feet or thereabouts all which said property forms part of Ordnance Survey No. 344 for the said Parish and is for the purpose of identification only delineated on the plan annexed hereto and is thereon edged with the colour red;
TO HOLD the same unto the Purchaser in fee simple.

The Purchaser hereby covenants with the Vendor forwith to erect and forever thereafter maintain a suitable stock proof fence along the boundaries A to B and B to C to divide the property hereby conveyed from the 15 feet track on the South and the land on the East retained by the Vendor.

The conveyance references the following documents:

Date	Document	Parties
August 14^th 1916	Indenture	1) Charles William Wallwork 2) John William Palmer
April 21^st 1965	Conveyance	1) Elizabeth Alice Violet Palmer & Ruth Vine Downes 2) The said E.A.V. Palmer and R.V. Downes 3) R.V. Downes

June 20th 1974 – Sale of ditch to Mr. Bridgman

This conveyance recorded the sale by
Ruth Vine Downes of The Paddock, Deopham
to
– William Albert Bridgman of 47A, Hillhouse Drive, Billericay, Essex
The selling price was £1 (one pound).
The property is described in the conveyance as:

ALL THAT piece of freehold land fronting to Low Common Deopham in the County of Norfolk having a frontage thereto of Two feet or thereabouts a depth therefrom of One hundred and Thirty feet or thereabouts and a width at the rear of Two feet or thereabouts.
ALL WHICH said property forms part of Ordnance Survey Number 344 for the said Parish and is for the purpose of identification only delineated on the Plan annexed hereto and thereon edged with the colour red;
TO HOLD the same unto the Purchasers in fee.

The Conveyance refers to a thirteen foot track on the south which was retained by the vendor.

October 25th 1974 – Sale to Mr. & Mrs. Wright

This conveyance recorded the sale by
– William Albert Bridgman of 47A, Hill House Drive, Billericay, Essex
to
– John Edward Wright and his wife Katharine Florence Wright of Hoke Munde, Hardingham Road, Hingham.
The selling price was £3,000.
The property is described in the conveyance as:

ALL THAT piece of freehold land situate fronting Low Common in the Parish of Deopham in the County of Norfolk having a frontage thereto of forty five feet or thereabouts and a depth therefrom of one hundred and thirty feet or thereabouts and a width at the rear of thirty five feet or thereabouts.
ALL WHICH said property forms part of Ordnance Survey Number 344 for the said Parish and is shown for the purpose of identification only on the Plan annexed hereto and thereon edged in red;
TO HOLD the same unto the Purchasers in fee simple as Beneficial Joint Tenants.

It will be noted that this description (and the attached plan) only covers the land – there is no mention of a house having been built. There is though mention of a party wall as part of the “garage to be erected on the land hereby conveyed”. Since the NHBRC certificate (see below) was signed off in November 1974, the house construction must have been more or less complete at the time that the Wrights purchased the property.

November 19th 1974 – Completion of the house building

It was certified that the construction on “Plot 1” of the “Site at Low Common, Deopham” had been completed acceptably by J. Leigh & Sons of Attleborough:

October 28th 1977 – Sale of The Willows to Mr. Parlane

This conveyance recorded the sale by
– John Edward Wright and Katherine Florence Wright his wife, both formerly of Hoke Munde, Hardingham Road, Hingham, but now of The Willows, Low Common, Deopham
to
– Malcolm Sydney Parlane of Forge Cottage, Deopham Green
The selling price was £17,950.
The property is described in the conveyance as:

ALL THAT piece of land situate fronting Low Common in the Parish of Deopham in the County of Norfolk having a frontage thereto of Forty five feet or thereabouts and a depth therefrom of One hundred and thirty feet or thereabouts and a width at the rear of Thirty five feet or thereabouts.
ALL WHICH said property forms part of Ordnance Survey Number 344 for the said Parish and is shown for the purpose of identification only on the plan annexed hereto and thereon edged red;
TO HOLD the same unto the Purchasers in fee simple.

May 19th 1978 – Sale of land behind the Willows to Mr. & Mrs. Brown

This conveyance recorded the sale by
– Arthur Horace Downes of Birchmede, Deopham Green, as executor for Ruth Vine Downs who had died intestate on October 28^th 1977
to
– Robin Charles Brown and Jean Brown his wife, both of Belsfield Lodge, Low Common, Deopham. Belsfield Lodge is the property immediately north of The Willows.
The selling price was £2,000.
The property is described in the conveyance as:

ALL THOSE two enclosures of land situate at Low Common, Deopham in the County of Norfolk and being Enclosures Numbers 344 (Part) and 345 on the Ordnance Survey Map for the said Parish and containing a total of 2.317 acres or thereabouts as the same are for the purpose of identification only shown on the plan annexed hereto and thereon edged red,
TO HOLD unto the Purchasers in fee simple as beneficial joint tenants both at law and in equity.

The conveyance references the following documents:

Date	Document	Parties
August 14^th 1916	Conveyance	1) Charles William Wallwork 2) John William Palmer
April 21^st 1965	Conveyance	1) Elizabeth Alice Violet Palmer & Ruth Vine Downes 2) The said E.A.V. Palmer and R.V. Downes 3) R.V. Downes
March 31^st 1978	Letters of Administration of the Intestate

April 27th 1981 – Sale of land behind the Willows to Mr. Parlane

This conveyance recorded the sale by
– Robin Charles Brown and Jean Brown his wife, both of Bedsfield Lodge [sic – presumably intended to read Belsfield Lodge which is the adjoining property], Low Common, Deopham and
– The Woolwich Equitable Building Society
to
– Malcolm Sydney Parlane of The Willows, Low Common, Deopham.
The selling price was £10,000.
The property was described in the conveyance as:-

ALL THOSE two enclosures of land situate at Low Common, Deopham in the County of Norfolk and being enclosure numbers 344 (part) and 345 on the Ordnance Survey Map for the said Parish and containing a total of 2.317 acres or thereabouts as the same are for the purpose of identification only shown on the plan annexed hereto and thereon edged red,
TO HOLD unto the Purchasers in fee simple as beneficial joint tenants both at law and in equity.

Mr. Parlane had purchased The Willows on October 28^th 1977 so following this transaction he owned both The Willows and the land behind, along with the track giving access from the Road.

September 17th 1984 – Sale to Peter & Janis Riches

On September 17^th 1984 Mr. Peter & Mrs. Janis Riches purchased The Willows from Robert Charles Spurrell Plumbly, the attorney of Malcolm Sydney Parlane.

Credit

With thanks to Peter Riches for sight of all documents quoted or reproduced above except where otherwise credited.

Navigation

Return to Deopham Places

Date	Change
6/6/25	Enhanced
30/4/25	First draft published