Constructed in 1857 The Old Bakery is the oldest remaining house in Forge Lane, but a blacksmith’s shop located on the site had served the community for many years previously according to sources such as the tithe map for Upchurch dated 1839.
Today, The Old Bakery is a detached house with sixteen rooms but two adjoining cottages originally formed the property with an entrance on the left side and another at the front. On the left side at ground level an open entry area allowed horses and implements to pass into a forge at the back of the building. The old fireplace in the forge area is still present.
At the back of the house adjoining the forge on the right is an area that served as a carpenter’s shop. In the garden area there is a brick outbuilding with a stable door where horses were kept. A well can also be found in the garden.
Under the floor on the left side of the house is a steel lined tank about ten feet in diameter and eight feet deep which possibly served as a water storage tank for the Upchurch Fire Brigade in 1902 and 1903. Above this on the ground floor a water pump once stood.
Today, The Old Bakery is a detached house with sixteen rooms but two adjoining cottages originally formed the property with an entrance on the left side and another at the front. On the left side at ground level an open entry area allowed horses and implements to pass into a forge at the back of the building. The old fireplace in the forge area is still present.
At the back of the house adjoining the forge on the right is an area that served as a carpenter’s shop. In the garden area there is a brick outbuilding with a stable door where horses were kept. A well can also be found in the garden.
Under the floor on the left side of the house is a steel lined tank about ten feet in diameter and eight feet deep which possibly served as a water storage tank for the Upchurch Fire Brigade in 1902 and 1903. Above this on the ground floor a water pump once stood.
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The Old Bakery as it is today. |
On the right side of the building under the ground floor is a cellar entered by a staircase with a brick lined well that drops twenty feet down below the floor. Prior to 1857 this was situated to the right of the original blacksmith’s forge then the new house was built over it. Present owner Terry Knight found a coin in the well dating back to 1806 which indicates that the well pre-dates the present building. There are two staircases on each side of the house and two chimney stacks showing that the building was once divided into two cottages.
During the 1830s and 1840s Edward Anderson worked as the village blacksmith and lived on the site with his wife Jane and son George. When he left Tom and James Kerslake took over and resided there during the 1840s and 1850s.
In 1857 businessman and blacksmith Edward Cozens who lived in Newington bought the property from Upchurch landowner Giles Hilton and had a new building made up of two adjoining cottages constructed on the site. A forge and carpenter’s shop were later added to the back of the building. Cozens sold one of the cottages to Mary Ludgater in 1867 and the other to John Jackson in 1876. At the same time Cozens continued to run the blacksmith’s business at the property.
With the arrival of grocer and baker Horatio West during the 1860s, the house, which he rented, was converted into a bakery. An oven built into the chimney stack is located upstairs and at a later date when the blacksmith’s business finished, the fireplace in the forge area was converted into an oven. Horatio West became the first recorded baker to live there. He also worked as sub-postmaster and grocer at the shop now known as Terrys until the mid-1870s. During the same period a chemist from Sittingbourne named Thomas Cocking resided on the right side of the property. Large numbers of medicine bottles found in the well indicate that he may have turned his cottage into a chemist’s shop for a short period.
Edward Cozens who had maintained a blacksmith’s business in Upchurch, Lower Halstow and Newington bought the house for the second time in 1881. He purchased it from Thomas Cocking and Walter Strouts for £1,600. His purchase included two adjoining cottages, a forge, a carpenter’s shop and an acre of land that had formerly formed part of Forge Field to the right of the house. He retired and moved to Brompton in 1886. Later, in 1904 when he died he was buried in the churchyard overlooking Forge Lane.
Ann Prentis bought the property in 1886 but Ernest Cozens, son of Edward Cozens, lived in the house and ran a bakery business there. In 1904 the post office transferred from Wraight’s shop to The Old Bakery for a short period and Ernest Cozens ran it as the sub-postmaster. He later converted one of the rooms into a photographer’s studio and worked part time as the village photographer. In 1903 he allowed the Upchurch Fire Brigade to keep their equipment at the house on a temporary basis. A room directly above the open area on the left side of the building served as the fire brigade office. The horse would probably have been kept in the stable located in the back garden. Ernest Cozens also served as chairman on the parish council but moved to Rainham in 1905 when he became postmaster for the town.
During the 1830s and 1840s Edward Anderson worked as the village blacksmith and lived on the site with his wife Jane and son George. When he left Tom and James Kerslake took over and resided there during the 1840s and 1850s.
In 1857 businessman and blacksmith Edward Cozens who lived in Newington bought the property from Upchurch landowner Giles Hilton and had a new building made up of two adjoining cottages constructed on the site. A forge and carpenter’s shop were later added to the back of the building. Cozens sold one of the cottages to Mary Ludgater in 1867 and the other to John Jackson in 1876. At the same time Cozens continued to run the blacksmith’s business at the property.
With the arrival of grocer and baker Horatio West during the 1860s, the house, which he rented, was converted into a bakery. An oven built into the chimney stack is located upstairs and at a later date when the blacksmith’s business finished, the fireplace in the forge area was converted into an oven. Horatio West became the first recorded baker to live there. He also worked as sub-postmaster and grocer at the shop now known as Terrys until the mid-1870s. During the same period a chemist from Sittingbourne named Thomas Cocking resided on the right side of the property. Large numbers of medicine bottles found in the well indicate that he may have turned his cottage into a chemist’s shop for a short period.
Edward Cozens who had maintained a blacksmith’s business in Upchurch, Lower Halstow and Newington bought the house for the second time in 1881. He purchased it from Thomas Cocking and Walter Strouts for £1,600. His purchase included two adjoining cottages, a forge, a carpenter’s shop and an acre of land that had formerly formed part of Forge Field to the right of the house. He retired and moved to Brompton in 1886. Later, in 1904 when he died he was buried in the churchyard overlooking Forge Lane.
Ann Prentis bought the property in 1886 but Ernest Cozens, son of Edward Cozens, lived in the house and ran a bakery business there. In 1904 the post office transferred from Wraight’s shop to The Old Bakery for a short period and Ernest Cozens ran it as the sub-postmaster. He later converted one of the rooms into a photographer’s studio and worked part time as the village photographer. In 1903 he allowed the Upchurch Fire Brigade to keep their equipment at the house on a temporary basis. A room directly above the open area on the left side of the building served as the fire brigade office. The horse would probably have been kept in the stable located in the back garden. Ernest Cozens also served as chairman on the parish council but moved to Rainham in 1905 when he became postmaster for the town.
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Tom Wraight's bread delivery cart. |
Tom Wraight and his family who had previously resided in their grocer’s shop, which is today known as Terrys, rented The Old Bakery from the Prentis family in 1910 then bought it in 1919 and stayed there until 1946. Tom Wraight ran the bakery business while his wife Catherine worked as a teacher at Holywell School. They delivered bread to customers by horse and cart then became the first family in the village to own a motor vehicle when they purchased a baker’s van. Their son Cyril regularly delivered bread to customers in the van.
William Neame, a baker, and his wife Margaret lived and worked at the bakery with the Wraight family from 1927 until 1938 then they moved into the ‘The Upchurch Stores’ opposite the church in The Street. They remained there until the late 1950s.
Following the death of Tom Wraight the bakery business finished, the family moved out and were replaced by Louis and Kathleen Davey who bought the property in December 1946 and lived there until 1954. Mark Harland-Thomas and his wife Alexandra then moved into the house. Mark Harland- Thomas, an architect, drew up the plans for a new village hall and housing estates built by E C Gransden Limited during the 1960s.
William Neame, a baker, and his wife Margaret lived and worked at the bakery with the Wraight family from 1927 until 1938 then they moved into the ‘The Upchurch Stores’ opposite the church in The Street. They remained there until the late 1950s.
Following the death of Tom Wraight the bakery business finished, the family moved out and were replaced by Louis and Kathleen Davey who bought the property in December 1946 and lived there until 1954. Mark Harland-Thomas and his wife Alexandra then moved into the house. Mark Harland- Thomas, an architect, drew up the plans for a new village hall and housing estates built by E C Gransden Limited during the 1960s.
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Terry Knight. |
After the death of Mark Harland-Thomas in 1973 his wife Alexandra continued to live at The Old Bakery until 1977 then she sold it to Roger and Christine Mantell from Sidcup. They were followed by surveyor Paul Dowdell and his wife Marylyn who bought the house in 1981 and remained there until the arrival of well-known local magician Terry Knight, otherwise known as ‘Mr Fizz’ and his wife Lynn in 1995.
Terry Knight has renovated the house while maintaining its old character and continues to reside in what remains an interesting and historical village building.
Terry Knight has renovated the house while maintaining its old character and continues to reside in what remains an interesting and historical village building.
About David
David Wood was born and raised in Upchurch and is able to write from personal experience about many people and aspects of the village and of changes that have taken place over the years making ‘Memories of Upchurch’ a very readable book and a detailed historical study of the village. David's book ‘Memories of Upchurch’ is available direct from David at: david3702001@yahoo.co.uk or from us here at Upchurch Matters. Price £12 + £3.50 postage and packing.
