Wattle House
Contents
Introduction
The Wattle House is an integral part of Findon's history as it was used to store sheep pens. For generations Findon Sheep Fair has been held on Nepcote Green each September. Millions of sheep have roamed across the South Downs grazing as they went, making it the landscape that it is today. Each year thousands of sheep were herded across the Downs to Findon. The Sussex or Southdown is a breed of English short-wooled sheep. It has fine close curled wool and a brown or grey face and short legs.
The Wattle House is one of Findon's 26 Listed Buildings and stands on the south side of Nepcote Green. Its stark exterior belies its fascinating past, whilst today it stands empty. Its future use has been the subject of much debate in the village. What will become of this curious historic building?
(Text: Copyright R D Hughes 2002)
(Photograph: Copyright Valerie Martin 1997)
Worth Saving?
Many people are completely unaware of the wattle storage area and limited housing accommodation at the historic old Wattle House on Nepcote Green. Today it is dark and dirty inside, full of grime and utterly disreputable, with broken floor boards, dislodged steps and broken partitions.
At one time, there were two tenemented cottage accommodations above the wattle unit and these were known as No.1 and No.2 The Wattle House - no doubt snug, if cramped, residences. A surprising number of 13 persons were all eating, drinking and sleeping and crammed above the wattles in 1851.
At No.1 (on the west side of the building), lived the curate of Findon, a 34 year old Cheshire man, William Garnett (later known as Garnett- Botfield), and his wife, Sarah, and two small sons, William aged one, and baby Alfred of six months. The children were cared for by a live-in nursemaid, Maria Smith. Two further servants resided with the household and these were the Moulton sisters. Ann, who was cook for the family, and Sarah, employed as housemaid. They were living on three floors (one of the floors was removed in later years to make room for more wattle storage).
No.2 residence was occupied at this time by an agricultural labourer, Charles Knowles and his wife, Ann, who worked as a charwoman. Their son, Charles, was 15 years old and a farmer's boy. Emily, their daughter, was 12. Two step-children from an earlier marriage also lived with them - Thomas Greenfield was only 12 and already out working as a farmer's boy, and his little seven year old sister.
Mrs Knowles appears to have enjoyed living at Number 2 because she was still here 30 years later when she was a widow - and taking in three farm labourers as lodgers.
The members of these two households must have been stacked in their beds like sardines in the hardly commodious accommodation above the wattles.
The Wattle House was 'home' to two families for some 150 years as well as giving its unique function as wattle storehouse since 1803. It is, therefore, well worth preserving its unparalleled storage feature or maybe as a museum on Findon Sheep Fair day.
(Text: Copyright Valerie Martin 1997)The Wattle House Conservation Project
Findon Wattle House Trust (Registered Charity Number 1059491): Conserving Heritage for the Community
A Brief History
For hundreds of years the Sussex Downlands have supported sheep farming and one event which has always been significant in the calendar of the shepherd was the annual sheep fair.
One of the largest of the Sussex sheep fairs and auctions is that at Findon, which has been held on Nepcote Green since medieval times and since 1796 has been held annually in mid September. In 1803 the Wattle House was built on Nepcote Green to serve as a store house for the wattle fences used to construct the pens which retained the sheep during the annual sheep fairs.
The flint clad building measures 50 feet long by 17 feet wide, with a single upper floor and a slate clad roof. As originally constructed the building contained not only the store area but two cottage tenement accomodations known as Number 1 and Number 2 the Wattle House.
At the time of the 1851 Census a surprising number of 13 persons were all eating, drinking and sleeping crammed into the building together with the wattles. The members of the two households must have existed with a minimum of comfort and privacy in conditions which today are difficult to envisage
For many years the large room over the wattle store area was in the subtenacy of the vicar and it was used for a variety of public functions; in effect serving as the village community hall.
In 1911 the Parish Mothers Union was first formed and they met once a fortnight in the Wattle Room and in the same year a village library opened, 2.30 to 3.30 each Saturday, in the same room. The Wattle Room became a focus for community life in the village with regular meetings of the Sewing Club, a Bible Class for girls, a drill class (aerobics pre-1920), several clubs for women and the occasional dance, tea party and whist drive.
The accomodation at the west end, No.1 Wattle House, was occupied until 1956, when the cottages were declared as being not suitable for habitation.
In 1956 the Wattle House was given in a Deed of Gift to Findon Parish Council, Colonel Evelyn William Margesson. The building was leased to Churchman Burt & Sons, Auctioneers, for the storage of wattles in 1977. The lease was surrendered in 1994.
Further information is available from:
The Chairman
Findon Wattle House Trust
28 Steep Close
Findon
West Sussex
BN14 0TD
