SOUTHROP LODGE

Southrop Lodge was formerly the Vicarage. The Victoria History of Gloucestershire states that the vicarage house, recorded from 1854, stands on the main village street west of the Church. It apparently dates from a rebuilding c.1810 (another source gives the date as 1817) but was extended to the east in 1882. In 1833 John Tuckwell sold the house to Sir Michael Hicks-Beach who in turn sold it to C. R. Smith ten years later. In 1858 it was sold to Wadham College who owned it until 1926. Outbuildings which later became stables housed the Parish Meeting Room and until the Second World War a Young Men’s Club.

John Keble was the curate at Southrop for nearly two years from May 1823 to December 1825 and lived at the Vicarage. He is said to have written some of his Oxford Movement sermons whilst sitting under the renowned Cedar of Lebanon tree in the garden. Keble apparently admitted in his letters that the house in Southrop was a major attraction of the job for a young curate. His memory is celebrated every year in May by a Keble Service alternating between the churches in Southrop and Eastleach.

The Reverend John Keble (left)

The History of Gloucestershire records that John Keble’s brother Thomas succeeded him as curate for a short period. Following on as curate in 1827 was Edward Simcox and then William Joseph Walker in 1827. The 1841 census lists William Walker (born c. 1795) living with his wife Louisa (born c. 1800) at ‘Vicarage House’, together with their five sons: William (aged 7), John (aged 6), Henry (aged 5), Francis (aged 4) and Frederick (aged 2). There were four female servants living with them. William's occupation is given as 'clerk' (i.e. Clerk in Holy Orders).

The next vicar appointed in 1848 was Joseph Walker. Both the 1851 and 1861 census returns show Joseph Walker (born in 1814 at Dover) occupation 'vicar' living at 'Vicarage House', with two female 'house servants' - Ann Rouse ‘housekeeper’ and Mary Wallis ‘housemaid’. In 1871 Joseph Walker (now 57) was still the vicar and living at the 'Vicarage'.

View from the garden showing the Cedar tree (left)

With him was John Adams the curate of Eastleach, Hannah Tuffrey 'domestic housekeeper' and Ann Elizabeth Major 'domestic housemaid'. In the 1881 census Joseph Walker is still at the Vicarage, with Hannah Tuffrey ‘housekeeper’ and Sarah Hayward ‘housemaid’.

Sometime after the 1881 census return George Gavin MacLean became vicar. The 1891 census shows MacLean as born in 1837 in Lymington, Hampshire and a widower. Living with him at the Vicarage are his six children: Margaret and Edith (13), Kenneth (12), Dorothea (10), Gordon (6) and Arthur (4). Also Jane Milne aged 34, a cousin of independent means, Harriet Garland ‘governess’ and four servants.

In 1893 Charles Edward Squire became vicar and with his wife Florence and family lived at the Vicarage until 1919.

In the 1901 census Charles Squire was aged 41 and is shown as born in Clophill, Bedfordshire, and Florence aged 45 as born in Richmond, Surrey. Their children living with them are Stanley (who was born in Llangrove, Herefordshire) aged 7, Giles, born in Southrop aged 6 and Cicely also born in Southrop aged 4. Their eldest son Edward (about 9) is not shown on the census (possibly away at school). Also shown resident in the house are Florence's sister Miss Eleanor Yeatman (of independent means), the governess Miss Fanny Councer, and a cook and a housemaid.

View from the rear garden c.1900 (right)

Miss Fanny Councer (governess to the Squire children) c.1910 (left)

In the 1911 census the Reverend and Mrs. Squire (aged 51 and 55) are living in the Vicarage with two servants: Annie Cull born in Southrop ’cook’, and Lillie Willis (15) ’housemaid’. Edward Arnold Squire appears on this census aged 19. At the time of the census he was visiting his maternal grandmother Mary Yeatman, a widow aged 86 in Eltham. His occupation is listed as ‘school’. Stanley, now 17, was a pupil at St. John’s Foundation School in Leatherhead, Giles aged 16 was at Marlborough College and Cicely aged 14 was a pupil at the Ladies College in Cheltenham.

Stanley, Edward and Giles Squire (pre 1919) (right)

The Rev. and Mrs. Squire and family (above) Back row left to right : Giles (who became Sir Giles and was ambassador to Afghanistan and Persia), the Rev. Charles, Florence and Edward. Front row: Cicely, Irene (Swedish wife of Giles), Patience (wife of Edward, mother of Martin and Helen Squire), and Lloyd (husband of Cicely)

The Rev. Squire’s car and Carlo (above)

The Rev. Squire (left)

Stanley Squire was killed during the 1914-18 war and his name is on the memorial in St. Peter’s Church. Edward Squire became vicar of Southrop in 1930, but by then the Vicarage was privately owned. William Herbert Thomas became vicar in 1919 after Charles Squire.

Wadham College sold the Southrop Estate in 1926, and there is a copy of a letter from a Frank Jones written in August of that year to ‘The Bursar, Wadham College’ in which he begins: “I am only a tenant of Southrop Vicarage but wish to register my protest of your sale of Southrop Estate”. (Possibly the Reverend Thomas did not live at the Vicarage, and maybe Mr. Jones followed the Reverend Charles Squire as tenant there). Frank Jones protests about the sale of the estate to a speculator, implying that the general public and those who might have been in a position to buy the estate “to preserve such an ancient monument” had hardly been aware of the intended sale. He also felt that the College should have made a present to the Church of “ two small pieces of land which the Vicarage has enjoyed, at a rental from you of upwards of 60 or 70 years, and which are almost a necessity to the quiet enjoyment of the place, and also the ground on which stands our Church of England School”. There is no note of a reply from the College!

After the sale of the Southrop Estate the next tenants of the Vicarage were the Cliffords. There is a copy of an invoice/account to Mrs. Clifford of Southrop Vicarage dated 1928, and covering the period March to September detailing straw, oats, chaff and “a pony turned out Homeleaze” for a cost of £2.19s.2d.

Mrs. Clifford (left)

John Clifford (right)

In the summer of 1932 Miss Margaret Clifford was married in St. Peter’s Church to Mr. P. B. Brasier-Creagh.

Margaret (Peggy) Clifford with Bruno (left)

Col. Cedric (George) and Mrs. Rosamund Price (right)

The Price family lived at The Vicarage briefly.

At some point before 1937 the property ceased to be the Vicarage and was renamed The Lodge. A letter dated 1937 sent to the Diocesan Register in Gloucester refers to Southrop Lodge. The purpose of the letter was to give a valuation of the property and this was given as £1,750 with a suggestion that the best method of sale would be by auction. The valuers were not clear as to whether the building used as the Parish Room was part of the property, and reported that Mrs. Clifford, the current tenant was unable to clarify the matter for the valuer. The letter refers to “Mrs. Clifford the current tenant, who will be vacating next Christmas when the tenancy from you expires”. The letter mentions that Mrs. Clifford rented the garden to the southern boundary from Captain Richardson of the Manor. The Parish/Reading Room referred to was in outbuildings built into the boundary wall of the Lodge adjoining the road, and accessed directly via steps from the road. It housed the Parish Meeting Room and until the 1939-45 war was a Young Men’s Club and also used for cricket teas.

The Parish/Reading Room seen from the road (left)

Colonel E. C. Watson OBE and Mrs. Dulcie Watson followed the Cliffords. The Colonel served as Commanding Officer of the Home Guard in Southrop during World War II. One of their sons Lt. Col. Derek Watson DSO visited Southrop in 1946 with the East African Victory Parade after their London Parade.

Dulcie Watson, Colonel Watson and daughter Sonia (right)

The Blunt family with two daughters, Caroline and Georgina, lived in the Lodge for a short time, but later moved to Quenington and, (according to Stanley Hinton), Georgina married Martin Trotter of Salway Farm near Crickley Bottom.

Sir Christopher and Lady Steel in 1963 (left)

The Steel family then followed the Blunts. Sir Christopher Steel GCMG MVO was a career diplomat serving in several countries prior to the war. Later he was the U.K. Permanent Representative to NATO and then became Ambassador to West Germany from 1957 to 1963.

William Steel (right)

From about 1983 until 2010 Southrop Lodge was owned by Colonel Shaun and Mrs. Caroline Longsdon. Col. Longsdon commanded the 17th/21st Lancers from 1977 to 1979, and then joined land agents Knight, Frank & Rutley. In 1997 a swimming pool was built on the site of the kitchen garden.

The Longsdon children James, Laura, Charles and Rupert with their dogs Wicket and Nell (left)

The Lodge is now part of the Thyme Estate complex.

Southrop Lodge from the rear garden (above) For several years Southrop Village Fete was held in the gardens of the Lodge. In 1999 the organising committee announced that the fete had made a profit of £2,181.96, to be divided between the Village Hall and St. Peter’s Church.

Janet Waldron is in the centre of the group of ladies holding cakes (left)