Valley Dale

Contents

1. Pre-1903
2. 1910 – Enfranchisement
3. 1911 – Conveyance
4. 1927 – Conveyance
5. 1927 – Agreement to Let
6. 1935 – Conveyance
7. 2025
8. Navigation

Pre-1903

Until 1903, Valley Dale was a part of Sunnyside Farm, the history of which is held here.

1910 – Enfranchisement

The 1899 sale particulars for Sunnyside Farm included a plan identifying that 2 roods and 30 perches were copyhold of the Manor of Deopham Hall; this was shown on the 1814 Inclosures plan as piece no 2. The Copyhold Act of 1852 allowed Copyhold tenants to demand enfranchisement – a process whereby they were freed from all Copyhold obligations. The 1852 Act went through subsequent revisions reducing the ability of Lords of the Manor to retain controls over assets that were previously Copyhold.

On December 17^th 1910 the Earl of Kimberley signed a Deed of Enfranchisement transferring all rights on the 2 roods and 30 perches to John Meek in return for a payment of £8 2s 6d.

The full text of this Deed of Enfranchisement is available here.

1911 – Conveyance

A receipt dated January 6^th 1911 acknowledged receipt by Pomeroys the solicitors from Miss Brunning of £3-4s-6d being the “charges and expenses attending the conveyance of property at Deopham from Mr. John Meek”.

1927 – Conveyance

Miss Brunning had died intestate on April 16^th 1927 at St. Andrew’s Mental Hospital, Thorpe St Andrew. There are further details in the Probate papers here.
These probate papers describe the property as:

Dwellinghouse, buildings and pasture land situate at Valley Dale, Deopham in Norfolk, the whole containing 3^r 22^p in the occupation of Frederick Brunning at an annual rent of £12.

A Conveyance dated July 23^rd 1927 recorded that the “personal representative” of Miss Ada Emily Brunning (deceased) agreed to the sale of Valley Dale to Mr. Walter Charles Phoenix for the sum of £200. Miss Brunning’s representative in this matter was Frederick Brunning, her “lawful father and only person entitled to the estate”, described as a retired shepherd.
The property is listed in the conveyance as:-

All that freehold cottage with the workshops, outhouses, yard, garden, orchard and meadow land thereto belonging situate in Deopham in the County of Norfolk.

The conveyance specified that the land included was:

No. on Ordnance Survey Map	Description	Quantity Roods : Perches
271	Cottage etc.	32
272	Pasture	2 : 26
	Total	3 : 18

The following extract from the O.S. map published in 1906 shows the site of Valley Dale – pieces no 271 & 272:

Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland

1927 – Agreement to Let

Having purchased Valley Dale on July 23^rd 1927, Walter Charles Phoenix then signed an Agreement on November 9^th 1927 to let the property to Mr. Herbert Bowen, team-man, for a “net yearly rent of £14 payable quarterly “.
The premises to be let are described as “the dwellinghouse with the workshops, outhouses, yard, garden, orchard and meadow land thereto belonging situate in Deopham aforesaid containing 3r and 18p or thereabouts”.

1935 – Conveyance

A Conveyance dated September 12^th 1935 formalised the sale of the “cottage, land and premises situate at Deopham” from Mr. Walter Charles Phoenix to Mr. Walter Brunning Phoenix for the sum of £200. The Conveyance stated that according to the O.S. map, the property contained 3 roods and 18 perches, made up of plots 271 & 272, as shown on the plan above. The Conveyance also stated that it was at that time in the occupation of Herbert Brown.

2025

Navigation

Date	Change
5/3/25	2025 photo
11/10/24	1910 Enfranchisement
8/10/24	Published