A grade II listed House. The English Heritage listing description “Of 2 C16 builds with c.1930s fenestration. Timber-frame with close studding to front and right side of upper storey. Main left wing has curved braces, right wing has curved tension braces. Whitewashed brick and plaster infill, thatched roof, whitewashed brick chimneys to centre and to front right corner of cross wing. L-plan, with projecting gabled cross wing to right. 2 storeys. Left wing is of 3 bays with C20 barred wooden casements, mostly of 3 lights but with 2-light to first floor centre and single metal casement to ground floor left. C20 door to right with flat wooden hood on shaped brackets. 2-bay cross wing has 3-light casements to front, the lower wooden, the upper leaded. Upper storey is jettied to front on beam ends, with moulded brackets to either side and renewed corner posts carried down to ground. C19 whitewashed brick extensions to rear of cross wing. Interior: cross wing has queen strut trusses whereas left wing has raking queen post trusses with principal rafters set in from ends of tie-beams; heavy floor joists, those in left wing re-used and part smoke-blackened; left bay part rebuilt with C20 floor. House said to have been built 1560 for John Bent (Roy Millward, A History of Leicestershire and Rutland, 1985, p.72), but left wing may incorporate timbers of an older hall.”
The farm in the late 1940’s or early 1950’s.
We know it was built for, or by John Bent in circa 1560. The Bent family had purchased the Manor of Cosby in 1551 to become lords of the Manor and eventually amassed over 1200 acres in Cosby and Littlethorpe. His house was certainly built to impress.
By May 5th 1814 John Hobill, born Bruntingthorpe 1781, was operating here as a fellmonger (dealer in animal hides, skins, & wool). We know this because The Leicester Journal lists him as a member of the Leicestershire Association for the Prosecution of Felons, primarily concerned with cattle theft. John had married Louisa on the 31st January 1803 at Peatling Magna.
In January 1816 his daughter marries Thomas Everard from Stony Stanton.
The 1841 census records him here with wife Louisa 55, daughter Elizabeth 20, and son William 15. They had lost another son Thomas aged 33 in 1839, he was also a fellmonger trading at Oakham and Asfordby, John took over these businesses until 1841, when they passed to James Hobill, presumably Thomas’s son.
There follows various newspaper reports referencing him at Littlethorpe, through to the 18th October 1844 when The Leicester Advertiser carries a notice concerning his retirement sale. This gives us an excellent description of the property at that time, summarised here:- Fellmongers to be sold or let. Excellent dwelling house with gardens, orchard, yards, sheds, hovel, wool warehouses, stable and numerous other outbuildings, together with 3.1/2 acres of superior meadow land. Mr Hobill the owner in occupation upwards of 30 years. The pits are fed by a never failing spring of soft water, conveyed through pipes from a distance, and replete with every convenience for the trade. Mr Hobill is about to retire to a distant part of the country, and the purchaser or tenant will take on the good will of the business with no premium being required. Littlethorpe is 5 or 6 miles distant from Leicester, and close to the turnpike road. Mr B.Payne, Auctioneer.
Sale notice dated 1852.
It looks like it was purchased from that sale by Mary Miles, because by the time of the tithe apportionments dated 31st December 1850 where it is described as “house,garden & rickyard” the owner was the late Mary Miles 1776 – 3rd April 1846 (The Pares family (Narborough estate) — the Pares family owned Narborough Hall and extensive estate land in the parish from the late 18th century into the 19th century; Thomas Pares II and his successors (including Mary Ann Dod / Miles as life tenant, and later Thomas John Pares) are recorded as the landlords of the Narborough estate that included land around Littlethorpe. This family is the single biggest lead for landownership affecting Littlethorpe in the mid-1800s.), she being the widow of Samuel Miles 1776 – 26th April 1842, solicitor and owner of Narborough Hall. The occupier was Thomas Billson 1791 – 18th October 1859.
On 7th April 1852 there was an auction by John Holland for Billson, who was leaving part of his land, this was held on the premises. Included were 25 prime Hereford oxen, over 100 sheep, an excellent 5-years old cart horse, a 6-inch (being the wheel width) waggon and cart, plough, turnip cutter etc.
After Thomas’s death on the 18th October 1859, John Holland the auctioneer holds a sale on the 13th September 1860 and is now selling on behalf of the late Mr Billson, sheep, cattle, horse’s, and a general assortment of farming implements. Also 40 acres of superior grass keeping till the 10th October next, and about 2 acres of mangold wurtzels to go off.
Again on 9th October 1860 the household furniture, brewing vessels, dairy utensils and effects of the late Thomas Billson.
1852 Sale notice re Thomas Billson.
By the time of the 1861 census taken on 7th April 1861 the new occupant is Joseph Stephen North from Countesthorpe, aged 28, he states he is farming 81 acres.
1871 and Joseph, now preferring to be known as Stephen is aged 39, married to Ann Martha 29, they now have six children, Mary 8 born at Countesthorpe, Thomas 7, Martha 6, John 4, Sarah 2, and Jane 10 months, all born in Littlethorpe.
He is farming 75 acres and employing 1 man, William Pratt aged 17, and 2 boys, possibly one boy could be Arthur Lawson aged 11 who is recorded in the same census as a plough boy.
1881 and Stephen is 48 and farming 94 acres with one servant. His two sons Thomas 17, and John 14 are working on the farm. Stephen and Anne have now added William 9, Frances 7, Emma 4, and Benjamin 2 to the family, in all now 10 children.
1891 and Stephen still with Ann, has now been farming here for over 30 years, helping him are sons Thomas 27, and William 19. Emma and Benjamin are at school and the other six appear to have left home.
1901 and Stephen and wife Ann, now preferring to use her second name of Martha, are still here. Sons Thomas, William, and Benjamin describing themselves as cattlemen.
Stephen dies aged 70 on the 29th June 1902. In his will proved on 26th August of that year, he leaves everything to his widow Ann Martha and his elder son Thomas. Gross estate value £465 2s. 9d. (C.75k in 2026) net £251 15s. 4d.
1911 and widow Ann continues to run the farm with the help of sons Thomas and William. Also there are three daughter-in-laws Alice, Olive, and Hilda.
1921 and Ann is still the head of the household with son Thomas now aged 57 the farmer.
Ann dies on 25th June 1928 and probate is granted to her son Thomas of £703 10s. 8d. (2026 equivalent c.57k). It would seem that the Norths tenure had lasted at least 68 years.
Old sale poster for Joseph Norths sale in 1864.
1939 and Old House Farm as it was then known is being farmed by Danny Brew b.30/10/1906, and helped by his father Alfred b.15/03/1878.
1946 sees the farm put up for sale by the executors of Mr J Taylor. It is still let to Danny Brew.
On 26th July 1946, and Nixon, Toone & Harrison offer for sale by auction at The Old Inn, Lot 1- Old House Farm – house, buildings, and 3-bay Dutch barn with 22 acres. Lot 2 – pasture land on the Cosby Road of 13 acres. Lot 3 – arable land of 22.½ acres.
The sale results reported in The Hinckley Times of 2nd August 1946 were Lot 1 – £2600. Lot 2 – £1000. Lot 3 – £1700.
Lot 1 was bought by John & Helen Waudby of Littlethorpe House and became known as Littlethorpe House Farm thereafter.
Between 1946 and 1965 there numerous conveyances relating to the purchase of the farm and its later acquisitions, they also note the building of the M1 motorway passing through the estate land.
Also pictured left is a pre motorway map of the farms nearby fields along with their acreages.
1954 and Holtham was at the farmhouse, and farm foreman. Helen Waudby managed the farm and continued to expand the acreage with 160 an res adjoining their house and a further 60 acres a mile and a half away.
1957 and with the farm now at 220 acres a farm manager is advertised for and Roland Durrance and his family come to live at the farm house.
On the 22nd December 1959 Waudby writes to Durrance expressing his satisfaction with him and enclosing a cheque for £40, not forgetting to add a p.s. requesting a receipt!
My grateful thanks and credit to Stephen Durrance, Roland’s son for the farm plans, conveyances, field plans and photos.
Plan of fields between the farm and the two railways.
Sources:
As with any local history research continues on this and more information will hopefully be added as it is found, so keep checking for the latest updates. In fact if you can add anything to the above please get in touch via the contact form
