This house, now known as The Berries, was originally a blacksmiths shop and in 1857 consisted of two cottages occupied by Thomas Jefferies and Cartwright Taylor. In the mid 19th century Pear Tree Cottage was a known as ‘the house under the chestnut tree’ (as it still can be described), and it continued as a black-smith’s shop until 1883 when the black-smith, George Jefferies, moved up the road to The Forge. There was a right of access for The Berries over land belonging to Pear Tree Cottage and the two cottages shared a well. The cottages were part of the Southrop Manor Estate owned by Wadham College until 1926. They were then acquired by the Hinton family and rented out. In 1999 the two cottages were sold to Ruth and Roderick Jones and combined into one house.
In 1926 this was described as a ’Semi-detached Picturesque Cottage’ occupied by Arthur and Violet Maunder. The section of the map (above) of the 1926 sale shows that the land that went with this cottage, (number 22 on the map), was a long thin strip reached by a right of way over the back garden of Pear Tree Cottage. Later on in the ‘30’s the house was occupied by Mr. Maidment. Much later on, around 1970, Bill and Mary Luker lived here with their children Frances (Annie) and Fred.
In 1976 Graham and Alex Soule moved in and Neil, Brian and Pauline were born while they lived here.
Subsequent occupants were Carol Davis who lived here with her son James in 1984 (below), Tony Hazledine (1992) and Chris and Judith Richardson with children Katy and Charlie (1996).
In 1998 it was occupied by Terry and Elizabeth Coss and their daughters Katherine and Sarah; and then by Christopher and Jennie Phillips and children Oliver, Hugh and Poppy.
In 1999 the house was bought by Ruth and Roderick Jones and combined with Pear Tree cottage to make a single house.
Pear Tree Cottage
In 1833 Pear Tree Cottage was occupied by Charles Kitson, cordwainer.
From 1843-1867 the house was occupied by Thomas Jefferies (1783-1874) and his wife Ann (1783-1864) and their children Charles, Joseph, John, Thomas and Elizabeth. They moved out in 1867 and moved up Doyles Lane.
In 1867 George Jefferies (1844-1906) lived here with his wife Ellen and their sons Edward (b.1868) and George (b.1870). George was the son of Thomas Jefferies and he carried on the family trade as a blacksmith. In 1883 Ellen and George moved up the road to The Forge (qv).
In 1926 the house was occupied by Arthur Stone and his family .
Later on the house was occupied by:
1. Alfred Stevens (shepherd) and his wife and children Carrie, Dorothy, Alfred and Stanley.
2. Richard and Helen Strange.
3. Dennis and Jackie Godwin, and their son Richard (b.1975).
In 1996 the house was bought from the Hinton family by Ruth and Roderick Jones who lived there with their children Marcus, Oliver and Alexandra, and combined the two houses in 1999.
