Perils Of A Short Neck- Burford Farm.

Burford Farm, Marlow Bottom.

Notes: original name sometimes given as Burford Hill Farm. Historic England states parts of the farm house building date from the 17th century but note property records describe substantial alterations and re-fronting 1842/43.

Description: 1813=177 acres arable. 1901=150 acres with optional 50 acres in a wood shooting land also available with the farm. Had then a staff cottage as well as a farmhouse.

Historic Occupiers, which were not usually in the past the same as the owners of the property:

1807- James Webb yeoman and Thomas Rolls (draper of Marlow High Street) jointly leased the farm. It seems James was the one who lived in the farmhouse. Was an arable farm with a fruit orchard then.

1813-1832 Richard Webb. Died in 1832. Wife Mary. See post here  on Marlow Bottom Farm (which he also leased) for a great deal more about him, his link to the Swing Riots, plus links to Kathryn's good graves photo post for him and other family members etc. To read about a man executed for stealing Richard's horse see here 

1838-1843. James and David Webb sons of Richard and Mary above. Fell into bankruptcy 1842 and evicted 1843. (A warrant for commitment for both was issued in 1842 as they hadn't paid their church rates. A little later they were still at large despite apparently remaining in the neighborhood.) For much more on them including gravestone links for David see my previous posts on Marlow Bottom Farm which they also occupied. Oak, beech and ash wood plus elm and walnut trees was sold off from woodland ("Great and Little Hatchet") attached to the farm in 1842.

1843-1849 Richard King. Non resident as he also had Widmere Farm, Marlow see here for more about him. Previously at Chisbridge Farm. Wife Sarah. Richard died 1849.

1849-1851 Sarah King. She left and sold off stock in 1851. Lived at Widmere Farm. See post linked above. Amongst the items sold were ricks of wheat, cast iron pig troughs, 7 young horses, plough harnesses for 4 horses, 4 light market wagons, 4 strong dung carts, a gig and the usual selection of ploughs, harrows, etc. 

1854-1857 Thomas Brangwin. He was given notice to leave in 1854 however he must have got an extension to his lease as he was still at the farm in January 1857 when he died. He was found lying unconscious on a footpath near his home one night and died a few hours later. The resulting inquest concluded that he had died from "a visitation of God" by way of apoplexy. He was prone to apoplectic fits the inquest heard as he had "a peculiarly short neck" [Reading Mercury 24th January 1857, via the BNA and British Library partnership]. Used the farm for arable and pig farming principally. His wife Sarah Ann died 1859 aged 43 in Andover Hampshire after "a long and painful illness".

1861- 1865 William Rowles. His dad was also a farmer. Returned to his native Oxfordshire to farm. Seems to have had some trouble with his servants, as he went to the local magistrates on several occasions to complain his yearly hires were neglecting their work - this then was regarded as a legal issue. For example in 1865 it was James Grimshaw and Thomas Plumridge who were accused of neglecting their work. Order was made for £2 and £1 respectively to be deducted from their annual wages in punishment. 

1865- 1868 Henry Thomas Proctor. Oats and some sacks stolen from him in 1868. Married 1865 St Clement Danes London, to  Lucy. 

1869-1875 Francis W Islip. He used the farm to grow corn, clover and hay. Just 23 in 1869. He retired from farming, was a merchant briefly then lived on his own means in his native Leicestershire where he married his wife Priscilla and was a strong supporter of Liberal politicians and frequent donator to charity.

[1875-1877 Thomas Owen Wethered leased from owners Mr Browne's trustees but he sublet to William Curtis]

1875- 1881 William Curtis. The Misses Curtis ran a boarding school for small boys in the farm house in 1881. These were William's sisters Martha and Alice. They moved their school to Cambridge House, Cambridge Road later that year. For more about this and 69 (and counting!) other historic Marlow schools see here.

1902- 1904 Mr and Mrs Sealy. Left and sold off farm stock 1904.

1905- 1920+ Nicholas Ernest White. Arable farm but also won several prizes for pigs he kept. His wife Agnes let rooms at the farm to tourists. She died aged just 47 in 1916.

1939- farm house then a private residence.

Farm occupancies are determined by me by cross referencing property records, adverts, trade journals, court cases, censuses etc

For more farm related content see the Specific Shops, Streets Etc option on the menu. Also see the Person Index on the top drop down menu for every mention of any individual on this blog - 3,000 people are mentioned here as of December 2021. 

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