The entry below was published by SurreyLive under the heading "Secrets of a farmhouse at Thursley: https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/local-news/secrets-farmhouse-thursley-4845854
UPPER Highfield Farm in Thursley has a fascinating history. The farmhouse was, at one time, owned by a school. In 1913 a folk song collector visited one of its tenants and noted down three traditional songs.
House detective Philip Gorton has been researching its history for the current owners. He has found out a lot, but there are still details that need to be uncovered and clarified. Here is what he has discovered so far.
Situated on the lane to the Devils’ Punchbowl, Highfield Farm is a timber-framed, smoke-bay house that dates from the second half of the 16th century when it was occupied by Richard Boxfold. From then, until 1951, it was owned by various landlords and has been the home of a succession of tenant farmers.
By 1662 the chimney had been built and, during the next decade, a second fireplace was built upstairs in the bedchamber for which the tenant, Richard Haddington, was charged an extra 2 shillings per year in Hearth Tax. Perhaps it was to celebrate his latest home improvement that he burnt his initials on to the hearth beam with his cattle branding iron!
In 1704, the farm was bought by the trustees of the newly founded Robert May’s School in Odiham. It was a small school with about 20 boys on roll and the rents of the farm went to maintain the building, to provide free education and to fund apprenticeships.
The archives of the school record their stewardship of the farm, the continual need for maintenance and relations with its various tenants. Maria Karn came to the farm with her husband Joseph in 1822 and was widowed with two small children 10 years later. Their letters to the trustees reveal how Mr and Mrs Karn struggled to make a living and pay their rent during the agricultural depression that followed the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815. The records show that Maria continued to run the farm through the “Hungry 30s”, supplementing her living by baking and selling bread. Upper Highfield was in the ownership of the school for more than 150 years until Mrs Karn left and the Cosford House estate bought the farm in 1857.
A series of short-term tenants followed until 1885 when Edward Baker came to the farm.In 1913, a folksong collector visited Edward and noted down three of his traditional songs, John Barleycorn, The Sweet Nightingale and The Cuckoo. It has been many decades since these songs, which reflect Mr Baker’s world and way of life, were sung within the walls of Upper Highfield Farm.
Edward Baker remained at Upper Highfield until his death in the mid 1930s when his son, John, took on the tenancy.It says a lot for the continuity of rural life that he was farming the same 33 acres of land during the Second World War that were tenanted by Richard Boxfold four centuries earlier.
Philip Gorton is a professional researcher who specialises in the history of houses. A recent project is the history of Upper Highfield Farm.He would like to speak to anyone who may have family connections, memories or pictures of the farm or its former inhabitants.He is particularly keen to contact descendants of Edward Baker. If you are able to help in any way, he will be very grateful if you could contact him. Write to him at 11 Orchardfield Road, Godalming GU7 3PB or ring 01483 420763. His website is: www.house-history-research.co.uk