Beadlow Manor March 2010

Beadlow Manor is a farm house which was once part of the Manor of Beadlow which was, by 1772, held by the de Grey family as part of the Wrest Park Estate and it remained so until at least the time of the inclosure of Clophill in 1826. By 1896 the farm was owned by George William Bennett. In July 1918 Beadlow Farm was put up for sale by auction by Bennett's executors. The particulars [BML10/17/2] describe it as follows:

THIS FARM IS FREEHOLD

And is situate in the Parish of Clophill, about 2 miles from Shefford Station, 5 miles from Ampthill Station on the Midland Line and 10 miles from the County Town of Bedford with its excellent train service to Londonand in all directions.

It is bounded on the North partly by Pedley and Chicksands Wood and at its Northern end is nearly 300 feet above Sea Level. From there the land slopes towards the South, its lower end being about 150 feet above sea level.

The main road from Ampthill to Shefford runs through the farm and passes the farm house and there is a frontage also to the road to Luton.

The Homestead is near the centre of the farm and comprises:

Quaint Old Brick Built and Tiled Farm House

Entered from the South side and containing: -

LOBBY and ENTRANCE PASSAGE,

LARGE KITCHEN (20 feet by 14 feet) with brick floor and old beamed ceiling, and a KitchenRange.

A LARGE SITTING ROOM (16 feet by 15 feet) with windows overlooking the Granary and the Yard.

LARGE WASHHOUSE with a brick floor and open hearth and a door leading to a very large CELLAR down four steps.

Over the Cellar approached by a separate staircase ate Two Good-sized Rooms, and approached from this Staircase, and from the Principal Staircase, is a BEDROOM over the Washhouse. There is another BEDROOM adjoining partly over the Lobby and the Kitchen; a small BEDROOM overlooking the Yard and a Large BEDROOM over the Sitting Room.

There is another Cellar under the Sitting Room, and adjoining the house outside are some timber and thatched Wood Sheds.

The Farm Buildings are ample and commodious
and comprise:

On the West side of the yards and adjoining the road, a timber and thatched STABLE for 7 Horses ad a TRAP HOUSE; THREE PIGSTYES with a Chaff Loft over, brick, timber and thatched.

A timber brick and thatched BARN and a lean-to hen House, and a capital 5-bay lofty CART SHED having two sides of brick and an iron roof opening into the implement yard and having double doors giving access from the road.

On the East side of the two farm yards is a brick timber and tiled GRANARY standing well up above the yard and entered by the roadway in front of the house, with 2 PIGSTYES underneath it entered from the third yard; 2 three-bay timber and slated OPEN SHEDS and on the East of these (opening on to the third Farm yard) a four-bay brick timber and slated SHED.

On the South of the third yard is an old brick timber and tiled OPEN SHED.

On the east of the third yard and with access also to the Rick Yard behind is a 4-stall brick timber and thatched BULLOCK HOUSE; a large brick built and thatched BARN having part of the floor brick; a second large brick built and thatched BARN with Wood and Earth floors, and a three-bay LEAN-TO OPEN SHED against these two Barns.

On the North of the Yard is a range of brick timber and thatched buildings situate high above the Yard and approached from the Roadway in front of the house comprising HEN HOUSE; COW STALLS for 8 Cows; CAKE HOUSE and Chaff House; and lying to the North and detached from this block of buildings is a three-bay brick and tiled shed and an iron IMPLEMENT HOUSE.

About a hundred yards to the North is a pair of

Half Timber and Tiled Cottages

Which contain Living Room, Kitchen and 2 Bedrooms.

THIS FARMHAS AN AREA OF
291 acres 3 roods 13 poles
of which 123 acres, 9 poles are grass, 153 acres, 1 rood, 19 poles arable and the remainder yards and buildings etc.

THE VERY LOW RENT OF £200 PER ANNUM

On the terms of a Lease dated the 14th of February, 1898, from the late George William Bennett, Esq., to Mr. William Low, which lease contains covenants on the part of the Lessee to keep and leave in good tenantable repair the Farm House, Cottages, Buildings &c., the Landlord providing materials except straw for thatching.

The Rating and Valuation Act 1925 specified that every building and piece of land in the country was to be assessed as to its rateable value. Clophill was assessed in 1927. The valuer visiting Beadlow Farm, as it was then called, discovered that it was owned and occupied by William Edward Seabrook [DV1/H51/34]. The farm comprised 225 acres and the valuer commented: "Recently sunk 2 wells 85 feet, all pumped for house and yards. Wants draining. 2 miles Shefford, 1 mile to village. Bought from Wrest ParkEstate. Very good Buildings".

The brick and slate farmhouse ("nice house") comprised two reception rooms, an office, a kitchen, scullery, dairy, pantry and lobby with a cellar beneath. A bathroom ("water pumped"), five bedrooms, a maid's rooms and a boxroom lay upstairs.

The homestead comprised the following brick and slate buildings:

• A barn with a cement floor;
• A chaff house with a loft over;
• A four bay cart shed;
• A nine bay hovel and loose box;
• A three stall stable;
• A garage;
• Two loose boxes;
• Four piggeries;
• A mixing house;
• Four cow stalls and two calf pens;
• Four cow stalls;
• A four bay hovel;
• A chaff house;
• A ten horse stable;
• A horse box.

On 9th October 1940 two high explosive bombs were dropped by the Luftwaffe at Beadlow Manor Farm, one 20 feet from the back door of the farm house causing damage but no casualties [WW2/AR/CO/2/2].

In the 1970s a golf course and hotel were created at Beadlow Manor. These are both still in existence and have their own website.