Wainfleet House, No 4 Woodgate

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Old photo of Wainfleet House

Courtesy Peter Wordsworth

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1899 Conveyance

Courtesy of the owners of Wainfleet House

Wainfleet House, Woodgate

Ownership of the land and an ancient building

On an Abstract of Title documenting ownership from 1731 to 1865, Henry Watkin, a farmer from Helpston owned the ancient property in 1731 and Mary Morton, a widow occupied it. It was known by the name and sign of The Axe and Cleaver Public House.
In 1731, the building and some 9 acres were sold to Henry Tyers for 2s 3d.¹ Following the death of Henry Tyers in 1749 and according to his will,² following the decease of his wife Ann, the homestead and 8 acres of land and meadows with appurtenances were left to Henry Ullett.³  Tyers and Ullett were both farmers from Wilsthorpe.

On the 1809 Enclosure Award the property is recorded as belonging to Henry Ullett.⁴
In 1825 it was sold to Thomas Thompson and his tenants were Robert Pilkington followed by William Osbourne (Baker).

The Shillaker Years

In 1845 George Shillaker a baker from Market Deeping bought the Ancient messuage and 8 perches of adjoining land. Between then and 1847, George had the old building demolished and built a new house and adjoining outbuildings.
George never occupied the new house as he also owned the shop and post office on the corner of West Street and the house at No 2 Woodgate in which he resided.
Although the 1851 Census does not clearly identify occupiers and buildings, Peach Hood Large, a Coal Dealer lived on Woodgate and it may be presumed he lived here as in 1861 his sister Mary Large was the occupant. This is verified by an 1865 Indenture when George Shillaker sold the house to Henry Larratt, a Mariner from Stamford for the cost of £380.0s.0d.

The late 1800s

On the 1871 Census, the resident is Eliza D Nidd. Mrs Nidd was the mother of Henry Larratt and in 1875 following the death of her son, the property was bequeathed to her.
In 1899 the property and land were sold to Robert Broom at a cost of £210.0s.0d. He was a papermaker and worked at the Helpston Paper Mill.

1900 onwards

Robert and his family occupied the house as recorded on the 1901 and 1911 Census records and it is on them that we find his wife Mary was born in Wainfleet, Lincolnshire. The name Wainfleet House can be found on sales documents after that time.
Robert died in 1919 and the property was left to his wife. On the 1921 Census, Mary is living on Woodgate with 2 female boarders. Following her death in 1932, the property was left in trust to other family members until it was sold in 1945 for £1,175.0s 0d.

Between 1978 and the present time it has been owned by 3 families.

In 1982 Wainfleet House was designated as a Grade II Listed property as a building of special interest within the context of the village.⁵

Sources

Property sale documents held by the owners of Wainfleet House.
1951 – 1911 Census Records – Ancestry.co.uk
1921 Census record – Findmypast

1. 1. Helpston Manor Court books – Northampton Records Office F(M) vol 746 (1720-42).
   2. Will of Henry Tyers – Ancestry.co.uk
   3. Helpston Manor Court books – Northampton Records Office F(M) vol 747 (1754-1808)
2. 4. Inclosure Award – Helpston Parish Council
   5. https://historicengland.org.uk/