Camois Hall
Camois Hall seen from the meadow, late 1940's. Pictures supplied by Dr Tony Large, Tasmania.
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The old part-Georgian building known as Camois Hall was demolished in the nineteen sixties as it was then thought by the Stetchworth Estate owners that it had become too costly to maintain. In retrospect it seem an act of architectural vandalism, as the old house had a commanding position overlooking the little valley, along which runs Camois Hall Lane, and some good features, including a fine cast iron framed conservatory. |
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The origins of Camois Hall go back a long way to Lord de Camois, who fought with King Henry V at Azincourt (see the History page). It seems that as a reward for his services he was granted the land and title of Lord of the Camois Manor, which ran adjacent to the Valence Manor, the other main Ditton manor. Over the hundred or so years prior to its destruction various farmers have occupied Camois Hall, including Robert King, George Paine, George Gittus, Leonard Long and Lionel Long. Now very little of the original buidings remain. |
View of the Hall showing the Conservatory
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The unique little cottage known as 'The Witch's Cottage' further along Camois Hall Lane; also demolished. |
Entries from the Comment Page on the old web site. January 10th 2007 from Paul Mason.
I was very pleased to find your website, my name is Paul Mason I now live in America but once lived on Camois Hall Farm in the cottage at the bottom of the hill (the one pictured bottom left of the photo you have posted on the web site). I have many fond memories of my time spent there as a young boy, I was 7 years old when we moved there from Yorkshire in 1967 and we only stayed about a year before moving to Cambridge. I would love to hear from anyone who remembers us,
[email protected] Kind regards Paul Mason
And a follow-up from Paul January 11th.
Dear Mr Vincent Thanks for the reply, I remember the big house being demolished and my father saying it was a shame for it to go, after talking with my mother she remembers a Mr Stanton (probably Mr Hutton the Stetchworth Estate land agent Ed) and a Mr Scott one was the farmer and the other the owner. There was another cottage at the top of the hill and I recall their daughter's name was Melanie, she was about the same age as I. I remember very clearly the race horses in the paddock next to our cottage one was called LAMPKIN the other BEAU NORMAN, we also had a chicken hut and it was my job to feed them with old bread from the shop at the top of the lane, Oh what great memories.
My father had an old black Ford popular that he never did put on the road and I would drive with him around the farm when I was not out on the tractors. I also recall a girl called Amanda Potter, My father worked in Cambridge at Pye TVT. Sadly my father passed away in 2003 and while sorting through some of his belongings I came across a reel to reel audio tape of us on the farm trying to start that old ford popular, I will look for any photos and email them on to you during my visit in the summer.
Regards Paul Mason
I was very pleased to find your website, my name is Paul Mason I now live in America but once lived on Camois Hall Farm in the cottage at the bottom of the hill (the one pictured bottom left of the photo you have posted on the web site). I have many fond memories of my time spent there as a young boy, I was 7 years old when we moved there from Yorkshire in 1967 and we only stayed about a year before moving to Cambridge. I would love to hear from anyone who remembers us,
[email protected] Kind regards Paul Mason
And a follow-up from Paul January 11th.
Dear Mr Vincent Thanks for the reply, I remember the big house being demolished and my father saying it was a shame for it to go, after talking with my mother she remembers a Mr Stanton (probably Mr Hutton the Stetchworth Estate land agent Ed) and a Mr Scott one was the farmer and the other the owner. There was another cottage at the top of the hill and I recall their daughter's name was Melanie, she was about the same age as I. I remember very clearly the race horses in the paddock next to our cottage one was called LAMPKIN the other BEAU NORMAN, we also had a chicken hut and it was my job to feed them with old bread from the shop at the top of the lane, Oh what great memories.
My father had an old black Ford popular that he never did put on the road and I would drive with him around the farm when I was not out on the tractors. I also recall a girl called Amanda Potter, My father worked in Cambridge at Pye TVT. Sadly my father passed away in 2003 and while sorting through some of his belongings I came across a reel to reel audio tape of us on the farm trying to start that old ford popular, I will look for any photos and email them on to you during my visit in the summer.
Regards Paul Mason